A Last Breath Before the Plunge
by Freddo
Summary: This is the Tenth Tale of the AU Rikasha Incident saga. Here, in 2202, the forces of both good and evil prepare for the final clash between Ekogaru's forces and the rest of the Galaxy. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****A LAST BREATH BEFORE THE PLUNGE**

**Being the tenth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

* * *

**ACT ONE: RIKASHA**

* * *

**I. TRADE BUSINESS**

**Planet Rikasha**

**The Sherikhan Fortress of Cha'rif Clan**

**The City of Sherikha**

**Thursday, April 15, 2202**

**1100 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

"I just remembered something," said Nova Wildstar as her brown sandals slapped against a cobblestoned street in the City of Sherikha on Rikasha.

"What?" asked Aliscea.

"I have a briefing to attend later on today aboard ship. Ooops…Darn veil," muttered Nova. She and Aliscea had decided to go out for a walk in the city controlled by Clan Cha'rif. They were accompanied by Lady Mikala Cha'rif, who was Baron Anton Cha'rif's wife, and their son Ar'ten.

"Keep that veil on your head straight, Nova…it's important," said Mikala. Mikala, like the other two women, wore the usual dress of a polite woman on Rikasha…white linen tunic-dresses, with light veils over their hair and simple sandals on their feet. Mikala had given them some of her clothing to wear before they went out, since it was questionable for a woman to wear boots on Rikasha, and altogether out of the question for a woman to wear a military uniform there. Nova had appeared in the palace for their walkabout in her regular Star Force uniform, and Mikala had nearly passed out. "_NO! They'll stone you in that_!" she had cried when they had left about forty-five minutes ago.

"What? They'll stone me if my veil's off?" asked Nova in the present.

"No, most men will think you're a prostitute. Women who wear clothes without a veil in public are usually prostitutes. The only thing worse is being a slave."

"You still have slavery here? How awful!" cried Nova.

"Unfortunately, yes, there is still slavery," said Mikala.

"Why is it worse to be a slave?" asked Nova.

"Because slavery here is very hard," said Mikala. "I detest it."

"According to my ancient memories, don't slaves go naked?" asked Aliscea.

Mikala nodded.

"If things…uh…change…won't slavery be abolished?" asked Nova. Then, a pang went through her heart as she saw two naked men dragging a cart through the streets like animals. Two richly dressed young people sat in the cart with a driver, pointing out the sights and laughing at their motive power.

Not far away, a trader in patched robes sat near the side of the sandstone wall surrounding the Cha'rif palace. He sat on a carpet, yelling, "_Mi'kdal__ a' ken! Ken annedn no'gal ti-zhati en'val en shanda e' cra'velda!" over and over again._

"Oh, boy, he's selling fireworks!" yelled Ar'ten. He wore a simple tunic and sandals himself, but no veil. "_Mati_ can I buy some fireworks?" he said, clinging to his mother's skirts.

"Sure, go ahead," said Mikala. "But take a care and don't let them see too deeply into your change bag!"

"Thank you!" he cried, running off.

"I don't like slavery," said Nova. "I said…if things…change, won't it be abolished?"

"Probably yes…but it will take time for…things to change," said Mikala. "The Council meets tomorrow in the Capital City of Rikala. You, Captain Wildstar, Aliscea, and the Technomugar who have defected are all wanted there by my father-in-law. He needs your testimony to support his case for…"

Mikala then looked around, and whispered, "_for__ a change in government_."

Aliscea nodded. "I hope that can happen."

* * *

Back on the _Argo_ later on, there was a briefing in the Central Planning Room. Nova, of course, was there, having changed back into her regular gold and black uniform.

"We still can't reach Earth," said Sandor.

"Why?" asked Venture.

"The only communications net that can reach Earth from here is in the hands of the Rikashan Empire, and we obviously can't use that until the government changes."

"Nova, you've talked with Lady Mikala today," said Derek. "How is this change in Government supposed to take place?"

"We went to the edge of the desert to talk undetected," said Nova. "Mikala says that any of the ruling Dukes can present in their Council a petition to have the government of a given Lord overturned known as the _H'all'adevar_ " said Nova, her mouth struggling a little to articulate the Rikashan word. "In such an argument, the Duke presents witnesses to show why a given Lord has gone beyond the Council's mandate. Then the Council, composed of several of the high Dukes and a priestess representing the R'Khell high priest votes. The vote is by a simple majority. If a Lord is voted out, he must abdicate and the Council must choose a new one. If not, he stays. "

"Okay…when does the meeting take place?"

"Sometime in the next few days, Derek."

"He put it off again, Nova?"

Nova just nodded. "I just found out before…"

Captain Wildstar sighed. "Damn that Zaden! Nova, we have no time to waste here. We need to get back on the trail of the Fortress. It's still heading towards Earth."

"But we still need to finish our repairs," said Sandor. "Especially to the wave motion gun."

"How long will that take?"

"About four or five days…even with the help Cha'rif's men have been giving us. At the end of that time, Cha'rif might be the new ruler, and we might even be able to call Earth before we leave here."

"So we're spending some time here?" said Venture.

Derek nodded.

"I hope it's not too long," said Dash.

"Luckily, with the ship fully repaired, we should be able to catch up to Ekogaru fairly quickly," said Sandor. "And. Wildstar…. Didn't Cha'rif say the Fortress would be watched?"

"Yes, as long as it's in the Empire. Who knows? We might be able to stop the Dark Lord before he even gets to Earth."

"I hope we can," said Nova.

"Me too," said Eager.

* * *

**II. AFFAIRS ON EARTH**

**Earth**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**St. Paul****'s Cathedral**

**Sunday, April 18, 2202**

**1000 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

Jordy Venture knelt in prayer on a padded kneeler beside his parents in the huge Cathedral of St. Paul in the Megalopolis. The Cathedral was a beautiful edifice, with a huge sanctuary filled with gorgeous white pillars, with shining, white marble walls and gorgeous stained-glass windows. Unlike Ekogaru's black Fortress, its inside was airy, pure, and white, and filled with light, light that was meant to remind the heart of a believer of the Lord and His Majesty and Love.

_God,_ he thought. _We still haven't heard anything about the Star Force. Not for days. Please let my big brother be all right. Please don't let him be dead._

Up at the altar, the priest droned, "….and for those private intentions known only in our hearts, let us pray to the Lord."

About two thousand voices mumbled "_Lord, hear our prayer_" as the Mass continued.

_I'm already praying_, thought Jordy as he wiped a tear off his cheek. His father squeezed his hand quietly as the congregation shifted back to their seats. The lector murmured "A reading…from the Book of Ecclesiastes…."

Jordy ignored the first Scripture reading as he looked at his parents. Mom and Dad are holding up all right, he thought. He looked down to pew to Karl and Teri Forrester. Karl was stoic and quiet, but he heard an occasional stifled sob from Nova's mother. _I know everyone's worried_, thought Jordy. _But… why does she have to cry so darn much? It's not like they pronounced them lost or dead yet…_

Of course, what Jordy didn't know is that he and the others would receive answers to their questions in just a few days.

* * *

**III. EKOGARU'S WRATH**

**Deep Space**

**The Technomugar Fortress**

**Tuesday, April 20, 2202**

**1200 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

"Scum," rasped Ekogaru as he staggered into his black, gloomy, smelly Audience Chamber. He ran his left hand over the keys of his pipe organ. He no longer had a right hand. The organ was still being repaired, along with his Phased Density Cannon. "Scum, whore-masters, and dirt! _DIRT_!"

"They have twisted me. They have made it impossible for me to have my body repaired. My metal skeleton is now hopelessly distorted. I am but a shadow of what I was, with but a third of my former power. So much of what I was died with Gralnacz and Yvona. Yvona…"

Ekogaru staggered over to an altar that he had set up in his Audience Chamber. He was a travesty of himself. He was now hunchbacked…his face was a distorted metal skull, and half of his metal skeleton was exposed. Raw flesh and mechanical muscles were exposed under his robes, along with cyborg organs that didn't function so well anymore.

His coordination was off. He needed to lean on his staff, which had been rebuilt as a hunk of metal pipe. His mechanical lungs rasped like some twisted, malfunctioning Aqualung as he walked. Under his robes, his loincloth covered a burned, twisted manhood.

Ekogaru stopped at the altar.

Lying there under a black sheet was a dead, broken mess of organic and mechanical parts. Namely, the remains of Yvona Josiah. The mechanical parts would endure forever, of course, as would bits of the plastic skin that partially covered her.

What would not endure were the parts of Yvona that were still flesh. They were already going the way of all dead flesh after nine days dead and unembalmed in the stifling heat of Ekogaru's Audience Chamber as she lay there under the black sheet her body was covered with. When Ekogaru had found her, he had noticed that someone had stripped her naked and taken every single article of clothing and bauble of jewelry that she had been wearing. Given that there were bare female footprints all around her, he guessed that the accursed Nova had done this to her.

Of course, Ekogaru did not know that this had been the work of Yvona's "child", her twisted clone. The clone had taken everything and then had escaped the Fortress unnoticed in a small recon corvette manned by a few R'Khells she had convinced to join her.

Yvona, indeed, was dead. But her evil works lived on.

Ekogaru lit more candles around the rotting corpse, and he knelt. He began to mutter prayers and incantations to assorted demons and evil spirits, hoping beyond all hope that the forces of Evil would let her spirit back up from the Pit to be with him again.

"Light-Bearer, Lord of the Files, Lord of Death, return her spirit hence…bring her back to me! I have spells of Warding, Spells of Command! I command your appearance here, Evil One! Appear from the Darkness, O Prime Dark Lord, appear here and obey my wishes! I am becoming Almighty! This is but a Setback! Evil upon Evil, I am Evil. More pure in my Evil than YOU! Return her unto me!"

Ekogaru paused. There was only the sound of his mechanical breathing and the sounds of his Fortress all around him. Nothing came from Yvona. She was still quite dead. And if Ekogaru had had enough spiritual vision to truly see, he would know that Yvona Josiah was forever consigned to that vile place, a place not under evil's control, a place where the worm never died and the Fire was never quenched.

"I will bring you a Sacrifice," he muttered. "I will not seek anymore to enslave Earth. I am heading there. I am 20,000 lightyears away. I shall reach Earth in but thirteen days, now. I have pushed the Fortress, even as we repair it. When I reach Earth, O Darkness, Earth and its people shall die. I shall first destroy Brumus as a Test of my systems. Then, Planet Earth shall die, the same day, shall it die. It will die. It will die, it will die, o, yes! Yesssssssssssssssssss! Death! Death! Death! The death of millions, to atone for the murder of one."

"They say I am mad. They say I am Diseased! They say my Brain is dying! My people. The Naysayers! All of them will die, too! Nay! I am closer to achieving Perfection! When the parts and links are repaired, I shall shed this Flesh and become all Machine! I shall be the Ghost in the Machine! I shall then be truly Immortal! I will then be…."

He looked out at the spirits of evil that he thought he saw, and then, he ranted. "I will be your GOD! And you will obey me, o demons! Yea! YOU WILL OBEY ME!" Then, the Dark Lord laughed. No, he did not merely laugh…he howled. He screamed! He roared!

Then, Yvona smiled as a worm crawled over a bit of Yvona's ruined, greenish-black face.

"You will live soon," chuckled the Dark Lord. And, with no shame, the madman passionately kissed the rotting face.

* * *

General Hollander, Ekogaru's new second-in-command, came into the Audience Chamber while the Dark Lord continued to rant, rave and hold the stinking corpse of Yvona. The bald, bearded Technomugar officer with orange skin was almost as old as Ekogaru and Vergar were, and he had been high in the Dark Lord's confidence, although nowhere as high as Vergar, Gralnacz, or Yvona had been.

"You cannot bring her back, Lordship," said Hollander respectfully.

"Why do you say that?" said Ekogaru as he staggered over, still holding the dead body of Yvona in his arms as if this was again his wedding night with the dead harlot. Even Hollander was sickened by the lack of shame of this warped display.

"Think logically, sire. Once the soul has fled…well, even you said we do not absolutely control the Soul yet. We cannot control what you do not yet have the capacity to control, yet. She should be decently entombed. Or cremated, Lordship. The woman is _dead_, sire."

"I see." _But I shall not give up, damn you! _Ekogaru thought. "What do you want?"

"The other Generals of the Empire, Lord, have begun to wonder about the success of this mission."

"We must destroy Earth! We are only thirteen days away from it, now!"

"True!"

"Then, we must make the Rikashans pay for their evils! Pay for their treason! We must seize this galaxy!"

"Lord, the Fortress needs repairs. After we destroy Earth, why not leave the Third and Ninth Fleets here to deal slowly with Rikasha while we return to the Blackeye Galaxy to repair the Fortress? All of the supplies we need are in the Mugaris System there, Lord. It would take some years to leave and then return. If you create an Interphase when you destroy Earth, we could leave from there, Lord. Leave the Fleets behind to do our will and complete the extermination of the Terrans and then to exert our will over the Rikashans until we return hence in four or five years with a repaired Fortress and ten entire space fleets. Then, Rikasha could safely meet the same fate as Earth. And, at Earth, we can expect a battle. You will need your power, Lord. You will need to husband our strength to destroy the _Argo_ and kill Aliscea."

"I plan upon capturing them!"

"You cannot, Lord. Aliscea is too dangerous to be allowed in our presence again. With conventional weapons, Lord, the _Argo_ could simply and elegantly be wiped out…quickly…before Aliscea can draw upon her infernal Powers. We have the strength, Lord. Why not use the strength we have to pull a victory from the jaws of defeat?"

"Why not?" mocked Ekogaru. "Why not? I desire to meet Aliscea again and spit in her face. That is why! I want to rip that Nova Wildstar to pieces and lie her body here to rot! Or, use her body to house Yvona's spirit? Nova can go to Hell and Yvona's soul can be returned here from Hell, yes. And it can go into her healthy little form!"

"Do you have that power?"

"It can be arranged. Yes, it can be arranged."

"Perhaps," said Hollander as he bowed and left, trying to keep his mouth from falling open at the Dark Lord's increasing madness, especially as he sat there crooning to Yvona's corpse and rocking it.

* * *

Later, Hollander spoke with Ergitz, another general high in Ekogaru's counsels.

"He is _that_ mad?" asked the white-haired figure of Ergitz. Ergitz had white hair and blue skin.

"He is, my friend."

"The answer is simple, then. He has to be eliminated. He is too unstable to lead us anymore."

"You speak of treason, Ergitz!"

"Say nothing. I think Vergar had the right idea. A lot of strategy would be changed if one of _us_ happened to be in command. Ekogaru is a mad scientist, a mystic, a politician, and a sorcerer. He was the strongest of the Movement once. But he is not a military man, and neither is he sane. Nor is he as strong as he was. His mystic powers are fading. He is misusing our weapons and the glory of our Empire for personal schemes and personal vengeance when we should drop this war _now_ and return to the Empire. He is too obtuse to notice, but Aliscea and the damned Star Force have already beaten us. They can be dealt with when we possess the Rikashan Empire and this galaxy within a few years, but not _now_. Not while we are tactically vulnerable. When we have the requisite strength, we can crush the Terrans and Aliscea like a nut in a nutcracker. But, not yet. We are not lunatics. We are military men, and we are sane. Are you in?"

"I can't say, yet. I need time to think, my friend."

"You will not betray me to Him, then?"

"No," said Hollander as he sipped at his drink. "I won't."

"Then what will you do? Will you be his toady?"

"No. I will convince him to become sane. After all, Ergitz," whispered Hollander. "…After all, he still is dangerous, and possesses many strange powers. You must be wary."

"Oh, I shall be."

* * *

**IV. A BRIEF INTERLUDE**

**Planet Rikasha**

**A Dock beneath the Sherikhan Fortress **

**Space Battleship_ Argo_**

**Tuesday, April 20, 2202**

**2200 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

It was late aboard the _Argo_, and everything was quiet.

At this late hour, Dash was Officer of the Deck. Some of the regular bridge crew was on watch, running simulations at their posts. Other posts were being manned by other officers.

_We'll need to know if our systems are up to snuff if we have to make some kind of breakout off this planet,_ Dash thought.

"Hey, Dash!" said Eager from the combat radar, where he was running simulations.

"Yeah?"

"How much is workin' here on the _Argo_?"

"Well, they've just finished repairing the main engine…haven't they, Yamazaki?"

"Yes, we've finished it," said Yamazaki. "They're still working on the wave motion gun, though."

"Hope they have it fixed," said Holly Venture from her late-watch post at the helm. "We're probably going to need it." She looked over at Mechanical. Lieutenant Hanes, a recently promoted old Iscandar veteran with somewhat long hair, was manning the post in the absence of Sandor, and he had again become Sandor's second-in-command of Mechanical Group after Royster's untimely death in battle not long ago. "No offense, sir," said Holly. "But, I miss Royster."

"Yeah, he was a nice kid. Real genius," said Hanes.

"I'm not feeling so good," said Homer from his post.

"Now what's wrong with you?" sighed Dash.

"Stomach," said Homer. "I've just been worrying so much the past few days."

"About what?" said Dash.

"About if we're gonna make it home in one piece or not. Do you think we'll ever live?"

"Why is that so important, Homer?" asked Holly.

"Because…uh…uh…uh…"

"Because what?" said Dash. "Should I tell them your big secret?"

"No! Don't."

"Okay," said Dash. He got up and said. "Everyone, Homer's never been with a woman before. He wants to get home so he won't die a virgin!"

"Would you stop that?" pleaded Homer.

A moment later, Nova appeared on the bridge. "Tell them to stop that?"

"Stop what?" asked a puzzled Nova.

"Tell them to stop razzing me about my love life..."

"What, just because he's never been with a girl before," said Dash in an innocent tone of voice. "Isn't that...?"

"It's not abnormal," sighed Nova. "It's his choice. And haven't we been over this before? Stop bugging him about this! Sorry, Homer."

"It's okay," Homer said as Nova came back over to his post and picked up her gloves.

Nova looked at Homer and said, "Don't feel pressured to sleep with someone, Homer. Wait until you meet the right girl… And, when it's the right time for you to lose your virginity, you'll know. Okay?"

"Okay," said Homer.

Nova gave his hands a friendly squeeze. "Good. Dash, see if you can keep it cool tonight. We're all kind of tense about that meeting with the Rikashan Government tomorrow, so just take it easy, all right?"

"I will," he said. "I'll keep running drills…"

"Of course," Nova said. "Derek would want that." Then, Nova then turned on her heel, blew the bridge crew a kiss, and walked off humming a 22nd century love song under her breath as she disappeared into the lift.

"Drills," said Eager. "That stinks."

"Hey," said Dash. "I got an idea after our watch ends."

"What?" said Homer.

"I heard of a place where we can find some women," said Dash. "Why don't we do a little run, huh? Use some of that money Cha'rif gave us?"

"Okay, what's the plan?" said Eager.

"This is the plan," whispered Dash.

* * *

Up above, in the Captain's Quarters, Captain Wildstar was working on some reports in his undershirt. He had shed all of his uniform, save for his pants and his undershirt.

He looked at the clock on the bulkhead in his cabin. "It's past twenty-two hundred," he mumbled. "What's keeping her?"

Derek looked over the reports he was filling out and thought, _I need that damn radar report from Nova, along with the Sickbay evening report. Then, I can close out this day…Dash'll get the rest of the Log. _

Derek got up, shoving aside his papers in frustration. "I need to get rid of this energy! But how?"

Then, he found a spot on the deck. Sighing in frustration, he stuck his sock-clad feet under the ledge of one of his consoles, and he began to do sit-ups with his teeth gritted. He was a bit angry and frustrated about all of the events of the past few days, and he was using the exercise to work off some tension.

_I wish I could find Ekogaru and finish what we started a few days ago,_ he thought. _Then, we could go home with a clear conscience. Until then…we can't rest…not yet…_

He sat up. He sat there breathing hard…his body glistened with sweat.

A mere moment later, the hatch opened, and Nova came in.

"Oh! Am I interrupting something, Derek?" she teased.

"No…not at all. Just a bit of trouble relaxing, that's all…"

"You need a shower," she said, rubbing his arm. "And a haircut."

"Yeah, here you go, with my hair again…"

"So?" said Nova as she set down her papers and came up to him. "You look gorgeous. You and those…"

"Muscles?"

"You could say that," Nova said. "By the way, I've been doing leg lifts. Like the results?" said Nova as she thrust out a leg.

"Sure do," said Derek.

They kissed.

"C'mon," he said a minute or so later. I can put away those papers, then, we can…"

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"You need a shower, Derek," she said, opening their locker and tossing a robe at him. "And, I need to note those results for you, and…"

"Oh, yeah, right," said Derek. "Hold on a bit. I've got to write them up in the Log myself…"

"Right here," said Nova. "The radar reports are page five of this one, and the Sickbay report is here."

"How come you didn't use your computer padd?"

"It's on the fritz again. I left it with Sandor earlier."

Derek wrote down the results, and then ran the notebook page through a scanner. "Logged and noted," he said, putting the notebooks on the bookshelf by his desk as he closed it up. "And now…?"

"Leave the bunk for me. I'll get it!" Nova smiled and pushed Derek out of the cabin. "Now get that shower, and don't came back in here in anything but your kimono. Got it?"

"Sure," he laughed.

* * *

Nova straightened up the room and dimmed the lights, making sure the privacy curtain was closed.

After peeling off all of her clothes, she yawned and stretched for a bit. _Wonder what I can throw on to tease him before we get into bed?_ Nova thought. Then, she saw Derek's Star Force shirt thrown over a chair. _Oh, yes! That! He likes seeing me in just one piece of clothing at times…_

Nova dressed herself in just Derek's shirt and she awaited him on the bed in that, and only that, with her legs up.

When he came back in after his shower, he looked at Nova sitting on the bed and whistled.

"I see you decided to get into something more comfortable, Nova."

"Yup. If you mind…"

"Don't take it off…yet…"

"Why not?"

"You look cute like that. Mind if I get a picture?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," she said. She smiled, striking a cute pose on the bunk as Derek got his camera. He set it to create a false pink background, and then, he snapped a picture of his wife.

When the picture came out, Derek smiled at it. "You look good in that."

"Don't I look better in person?" she teased.

"Yes, you sure do," said Derek.

He set down the picture, and sat on the bunk with Nova on his lap.

They kissed, enjoying the long, searching kiss while they drew close to each other.

"I'll be so happy when we're home, Derek," said Nova in a soft voice. "I miss our house…"

"That isn't all you miss…."

"It's not. I miss sleeping beside you every night. I miss having more time to ourselves. I miss…being able to rest. I miss…not thinking about Yvona and what I did," said Nova with a sob.

"Nova, it just happened. If you didn't kill her, she would have killed you…"

"I know," said Nova as she slipped Derek's robe open and cuddled against his chest. "But I still feel sick every time I think about it…"

"Like I do when I think about some of the things that happened in my childhood?"

Nova nodded.

"Nova, let's not think about those things any more. Not for a while…"

"Good," said Nova as Derek's hands found the handle of the vacuum seal at the collar of the shirt that Nova was wearing...

* * *

Later on, much later, Nova lay in her skin in bed while Derek got up to wash up a bit and gallantly throw his robe and the shirt she had borrowed into the wash. The lovemaking had been gorgeous, and they both felt a bit woozy.

_If every night could be like this, I'd be in Paradise,_ thought Nova as she lay there playing with the pillow. _Like I said before, I can't wait until we're home. I hope we make it home, with our Enemy defeated…_

"Nova?" said Derek as he came back in, clad in only a towel. "Are you all right?"

"Uh-huh. Never felt better."

"How do you feel?"

"You know how I feel," she laughed. "It was _your _fault!"

"Oh, yeah…"

Derek tried to kiss his wife. The time was now 0100, the next day. _Now, I can get some sleep_, he thought.

But, instead, the interphone rang.

"Yes?" said Captain Wildstar.

"Dash here, sir. We just heard from Baron Cha'rif. He just heard from the capital city of Rikala."

"What does he want now?"

"It's the Lord Zaden, the ruler of this planet. He's ready to hold the meeting _now_."

"NOW?" said Derek.

"Yes, now," said Dash. "The Baron wasn't too happy, either, if it helps. He was in bed with his wife, and…"

"Well, so was I!"

"What?"

"Never mind," said Derek. "Who does he want there?"

"You, Nova, Aliscea, Paul, and Sandor. He'd like you dressed and ready to leave in an hour."

"Damnit, okay. Have Venture take command. I'll be there…"

"Yessir," said Dash. At that, he hung up. Then, he turned to Eager. "The plan's afoot," he said.

"Well?" said Eager as he, Homer, and Dash huddled around Dash's station, speaking in whispers.

"Venture's taking command," said Dash. "I think we can slip away then to get out and have some fun. We're supposed to be going off watch anyhow."

"Where is this place?" said Homer.

"We got a plan in mind," said Eager. "We're gonna make a man outta you tonight, boy!"

"Where?" said Homer.

"A little place we found out about in Cha'rif's palace," said Dash. "Ever…wanted to explore…a _harem_?"

"A harem?" said Homer.

"Yeah. One filled with beautiful Rikashan women. Lonely women who will do almost…_anything_. Baron Cha'rif's married. I hear he neglects his harem now."

"Count me in," said Eager.

"Good," said Dash. "Now, act cool…."

* * *

In the meantime, in his cabin, Derek banged down the phone with an angry, exhaled breath.

"Are we wanted?" yawned Nova.

Derek nodded.

"Okay. I'll make the coffee," said Nova as she got up. "Rikashan clothes for me, I guess?"

"You could say that…that Zaden…what a louse!"

"Hey, least you got your wish," said Nova as she threw on a robe and began to make coffee.

"What wish?"

"Soon, we'll be on our way home. Successfully…I hope…"

"Can we catch up with Ekogaru?" said Derek.

"We have no choice but to," said Nova. "Hopefully, this will be the last night the Rikashans are allies of the Technomugar. Then…"

"Then, the battle begins. Ragnarok."

"Ragnarok, Derek?"

"The Norse twilight of the…"

"I know that," said Nova. "I hope it's not some kind of apocalypse. I hope not!"

"Who knows?" said Captain Wildstar.

"Well, we're together for now, at least," sighed Nova as she wiped away a tear. "Coffee'll be ready soon."

"Thanks."

* * *

**To be Continued with Act Two: "_Rikasha's Plunge_."**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 12 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**


	2. Chapter 2

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****A LAST BREATH BEFORE THE PLUNGE**

**Being the tenth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

* * *

**ACT TWO: RIKASHA'S PLUNGE**

* * *

**I. BEING THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS…**

**Planet Earth**

**The Tokyo Megalopolis**

**Karl Forrester's Apartment **

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**0200 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

Karl and Teri Forrester were at home in the Megalopolis.

They were dozing together after making love earlier that night. In fact, by an odd coincidence, even though neither of them knew it, Nova Wildstar and Teri Forrester both cleaved to their husbands at roughly the same time, separated by over 80,000 lightyears' worth of space.

And, now, as Karl and Teri lay cuddling in bed, they, too, were about to have their pleasant moment interrupted by bad news.

The doorbell rang.

"Teri?" muttered Karl.

"Go get that, darling."

"Why you?"

The doorbell rang again.

"I've got this craving for a salami and peanut-butter sandwich, Karl. You get it!"

"Okay, Mom," teased Karl.

"Mom the second time around," said Teri with a smile. "Remember, I'm pregnant."

So, the chubby lawyer threw on his robe and he answered the apartment door.

Samuel Josiah, Nova's cousin, stood there in full EDF uniform with a very pale face. Two enlisted men were with him.

"Karl, I need to speak with you and Teri."

"What's wrong, Sam? Sorry we haven't seen much of your since your dad's funeral, but..."

"It's a message they sent from Defense Headquarters just a while ago. I was our squadron's duty officer and, so, I was sent to give this to you on my way home. I'm afraid the news...well...it's..."

"It's about the _Argo_?" asked Karl. "Did Nova finally get a chance to call us?"

"Yes, but…well…it's not good…."

"Teri!" yelled Karl. "Teri, it's Samuel."

"Coming," said a tired Teri. She made her goofy sandwich, and stumbled in a few minutes later, just in a pink robe and bare feet. Her hair was down, and, as dark as her hair was, Samuel was reminded both of the way his mother had looked when she was very young...or of the way his cousin Nova looked. For once, to him, his Aunt Teri looked like an older, dark-haired version of his cousin. "Sam! In full uniform? Oh, my God. There would be only one reason you're here this early...isn't it...?"

Samuel said, "Aunt Teri...I have a message I was ordered to bring you, top priority, from the Commander, Earth Defense Forces. I have to visit a few of the officers' families tonight to share this. They wanted you to know before it hit the media tomorrow morning."

"What is it?" said Teri.

"May I read it?" asked Samuel.

Karl lit a cigarette and nodded, ignoring Teri's dirty look. Samuel, with a shaking hand, held out the letter. Then, he read:

"_From: Commanding General Charles Singleton, Earth Defense Forces High Command._

_To: Mr. and Mrs. Karl and Teresa Forrester_

_April 21, 2202 0112 hours: Spacetime (Megalopolis, Great Island Standard). _

_Mr. and Mrs. Forrester:_

_Please pardon the unusual tone for this official letter. I have just suffered a grave shock._

_However, it is not an unexpected shock._

_We intercepted a communication from the Rikashan Star Empire yesterday at 2300 hours._

_After due analysis, we have concluded that this communication is an authentic one, from the Rikashan High Command. A Duke Lecha Voton was the Rikashan official narrating the message, speaking Terran English._

_Duke Voton presented some wreckage in the tape, and several sets of burned Terran human remains._

_According to Duke Voton, the _Argo_ crashed into Rikashan territorial space some days ago after a forced warp, and it engaged his Tenth Fleet…_

_Voton showed footage of a battle, a battle which ended with a burst of his fleet's DIA'TS cannon, a weapon similar to our wave motion gun._

"No….no…no," sobbed Teri. "Don't let it be that, let them be captured, but not…"

"I'm sorry, Aunt Teri," said Samuel in a low voice. Tears were running down his cheeks. "May I go on?"

"Go ahead," said Karl in a hoarse voice.

_In that footage….the _Argo _fought bravely, but she was destroyed. We must, therefore, conclude that the _Argo_ went down in battle, with the loss of all hands..._

"Oh, my GOD!" screamed Teri. "_My baby_! Nova's _dead_!" She fell against Karl and began to weep.

"Should I go on?" said Samuel. Tears were running down his face.

"Go on," said Karl in a weak voice.

"Sure," said Sam. He sniffed and continued.

_We tried to withhold the tape from the media, but it was leaked to a correspondent. It will run on the news tomorrow._

_In that tape, we see this explosion…_

Karl and Teri looked on in nausea as Samuel showed them a picture of the _Argo_, blown in half by a sudden impact.

It was definite. The mighty ship was destroyed, blown in half.

The Star Force was…gone.

Teri began to scream incoherently.

"Shall I go on?" said Samuel. He sobbed, "Oh, my poor cousin! Nova was such a sweet girl!"

Karl nodded. He couldn't say anything more.

_Needless to say, I am afraid that your daughter and son-in-law are dead along with the rest of the Star Force._ _I cannot express my grave sorrow in this hour. Your daughter was a dear friend and great soldier. _

_We cannot recover any remains, unfortunately. There will be a committal service at Heroes' Hill on 24 April, 2202 after whatever sort of religious funeral you can arrange for your daughter and son-in-law. .I will be there to try to help comfort you._

_Earth faces very dark times. The Defense Fleet stands ready to meet our enemies in combat sometime in the next two weeks. We feel it will not be a skirmish, like the last few engagements, but an all-out battle for the freedom of our planet._

_If I may comfort you, please be comforted in knowing that Nova and Derek died bravely in defense of that freedom and will always be remembered among our greatest heroes and heroines._

_With Deep Regret and Lasting Sorrow,_

_Commanding General Singleton_

_High Command, Earth Defense Forces _

Samuel Josiah dropped the letter, fell to his knees, and wept. Karl Forrester hugged both his nephew and his wife in his grief.

"Damn that Commander," sobbed Teri. "damn him,. Damn him, damn him..."

"Teri, don't say that," said Karl.

"But he took my baby to her death! It's his damn fault my child is dead! His fault! His fault! I never should have let her stay in the Defense Forces! Maybe I should have never let them get married!"

And, Teri just kept on crying. And crying. And crying. She was inconsolable.

As far as she knew, her only child, her blond-haired angel, had died a pointless death. And she was mad at the Earth Defense Forces, mad at Derek Wildstar, and angry at God for taking her daughter from her.

"They can't show that on the news," said Karl. "Teri, go get my suit and my laptop!"

"Where are you going?"

"Federal Court….where else? I've got to get an injunction filed to stop the media from showing the loss of my daughter's ship on tri-vee!" raved Karl.

"Then?"

"Then I'm gonna go punch that Singleton in the _nose!_"

* * *

**II. DASH'S NIGHT JOURNEY**

**Planet Rikasha**

**Deep Inside the Sherikhan Fortress**

**24 Ets'ien: Warbringer's Year 3219**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**0305 Hours: Earth Space-time**

**

* * *

**

"The whole idea here," whispered Dash as he walked along in a torch-lit corridor of Duke Cha'rif's palace, beneath which the _Argo_ was docked, "is to get Homer laid, Eager."

"Hey, let me have a harem chick any day," said Eager.

"Thought you _had_ a girlfriend," said Dash, as he and Eager walked along while Homer looked at the tapestries and what looked like Persian carpets in the corridors of the palace.

"I do. She ain't here, but some babe in harem pants probably is," said Eager.

"Where _is_ this place?" said Homer.

They stopped before a huge wooden door guarded by two fat Rikashan men in robes, boots, and what looked like Terran Bedouin headdresses. One of them drew a sword. "Halt, Earthers," he said in a strangely nasal voice. "Access to this part of the Palace is forbidden to all but the Cha'rifs and their associates!"

"I'm a friend of the Baron's," said Dash as he bowed. "I am a good friend of the Captain Wildstar from Earth, and of the Lady Aliscea."

"You know Aliscea?" said one of the guards, who were Royal Eunuchs of Clan Cha'rif.

"Yes'm," said Eager. "She and the Baron made a bargain to reward us for helpin' ya'all against Ekogaru."

"And what is this bargain?" said the eunuch. "Do you know what we guard?"

"You got women in there, don't you?" said Homer.

"Yes, this _is_ the Baron's private harem," said the guard. "What gives you the right to…?"

"Money," said Dash with an evil grin as he spilled gold coins from a leather drawstring bag into the eunuch's hand. "Gold that Cha'rif and Aliscea gave us."

"Lots of it," said Eager, as he also greased the guard's palm with money.

"With interest," said Homer as he turned over his share.

The eunuchs looked at each other. They muttered some things in Rikashan and said, "Get in there. Leave by sunrise or we kill you."

"Thank you, noble Rikashans!" said Homer, Dash, and Eager all together as they bowed. One of the eunuchs whipped open the door, and Homer, Eager, and Dash walked in. The other eunuch walked with them.

"I must inform Esquire Genrad of your purpose with the women," said the other eunuch. "My name is Hi'Chan. Let me speak first."

Dash nodded. "Lead the way, my friend."

* * *

There was a long hallway, and another door. Hi'Chan stepped through into a mysterious, enticing haze of smoke, incense, feminine giggles, and strange music played on drums and stringed instruments.

Finally, Hi'Chan emerged. "They are in here. Follow me."

Dash, Homer, and Eager walked into a vast room that was hung with tapestries of all kinds, with a floor covered with soft rugs and cushions, with low tables holding water pipes and all sorts of delicacies.

Finally, about ten giggling girls were either lying on the floor or dancing to the exotic music created by a band of eunuchs playing instruments that looked like Terran sitars, mandolins, and bongo drums. The girls wore filmy, diaphanous tops, and either flimsy harem pants or long, silky loincloths that just barely covered their long, bare legs. Some looked orange, others looked either African or Caucasian. They had long hair in varying colors, and gorgeous features.

One of them immediately hugged Dash. "Hello there, wonderful young man with glasses. Who are you?"

"Dash, from Earth, I…"

"Are Earthmen really as comely as the Lady Mikala says?" squealed one of them.

"Yeah, we're love machines," said Eager.

"Good," said the girl, who was a redhead with pale orange skin. "I am lonely. Dance and then lie with me, friend…"

"Well, you ain't subtle, are ya?" chuckled Eager.

Homer was left alone. He was intrigued, but kind of looking for a way out. A blonde girl with fine features and ivory-like skin in a red and blue outfit and sandals came up to him and began to kiss him. "I can read your mind. You have never been with a woman before, have you?"

"Uhh…no…not…no…I…"

"No problem," said the girl as she pulled his shirt open. "I am Feleena. Let me teach you…"

Dash gave Homer a thumbs-up.

At that, Homer gave in to Feleena's charms…

* * *

**III. A WEIRD JOURNEY**

**Planet Rikasha**

**The Outer Desert Between Sherikhan and Rikala**

**24 Ets'ien: Warbringer's Year 3219**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**0505 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

"Derek, I never knew a desert could be so _cold_ at night," whimpered Nova Wildstar as she cuddled against her husband in the saddle.

"I'll try to keep you warm," he said.

Nova and Derek were sitting in a saddle on a Rikashan creature known as a _K'herevitz_. It was like a camel, save that it had a light, fine coat like light horsehair and cloven hooves rather than camel feet. However, it had a bad temper, spat a lot, and had tried to bite Nova once. The young woman, skilled as she was with horses, was having her patience tried as she tried to keep this stubborn creature in line in the sand in the caravan they were travelling with.

Nova's arms hurt from having to pull at the reins more than once. Behind her, Derek sat holding her with his feet in regular stirrups, but, up "front", she had her feet in tight leather stirrups that had required her to remove her shoes when she had gotten on the _K'herevitz._ _Probably a good thing I'm barefoot, too_, she thought in a temper as she sipped at a mixture of water and wine from a skin bag_. I've been kicking this…thing so much. But my toes are freezing, those suede pants they put on me for the ride under my dress itch, and I'm cold in this thin little minidress. Not very modest, their clothes!_

The _K'herevitz_ spat at Nova again and snorted.

She hit it in the neck. "You _stop_ that, ugly!"

"_Glllllaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaahhhh…_" it answered.

"Nova, sure you don't want me to drive?" asked Derek.

"You couldn't. You don't know the least thing about riding animals. You were afraid to get on this _thing_ when we started."

"Was not!"

"Were too," teased Nova.

"You look cute in a burnoose, Louise of Arabia."

"Thanks," said Nova as her veil, attached with an Arab-style headband, flapped around her head. "I wish we'd get there soon. I'm cold."

"Found a blanket on this saddle. Let me wrap you in it."

"Thanks."

Nova let Derek wrap the blanket around her midsection and she cuddled up a bit closer to her husband. "Look at all of those stars and those three moons," said Nova. "That's the only thing beautiful about this planet."

They rode on for a long while in silence, watching the stars go out one by one as dawn began to spread its fingers across the sky of Rikasha. Derek felt very lonely and alone. He didn't recognize any of the constellations.

_We're a long way from Earth…and I can't wait to get home,_ he thought. _I wish we could do something about this place. Something to fix it…_

"The first sun is coming up," said Derek after a long pause. "Now we can see the desert."

"Funny, the land is changing," said Nova. "Doesn't look like an ordinary desert…it looks…strange."

The land looked very strange. It was, indeed, no longer sandy desert, but it was, instead, a mournful, cold highland where the sunlight of one of Rikasha's two suns in its sunrise just barely pierced the grey, ominous clouds. An evil, sulphurous stench pervaded the region of grey, ashen ground, dead trees, and stunted pines in the distance. Steams and smoke came from the ground, along with an occasional tongue of flame.

Nova looked down. She thought she felt the ground shaking, and she gasped a little. They were behind Baron and Baroness Cha'rif; who were on one mount in the seven-mount caravan, the Rosstowskis rode behind them. "The ground's turning gray, I see fire…and it smells. Baron Cha'rif, what _is_ this horrible place?" called out Nova.

"_Al'jedarrats_. The Burning Lands," replied Anton Cha'rif. He was controlling his _K'herevitz_ in only a loincloth and burnoose…Nova wondered how he could stand the nighttime cold with almost nothing on. "Be careful. Follow our lead. The ground may cave in unpredictably. Luckily, up ahead, our pilot, D'evar, is familiar with these highlands and he knows the safe path. This is a back way towards the Capital. No one comes this way. It is no longer radioactive, but the fires of the Great Wars still burn beneath our feet. Take heed. If we pass through smoke, hold your breath."

"How can that be?" said Nova.

"Yeah. Weren't your wars over _three thousand years ago_?" said Derek.

"The nuclear bombs hit coal veins, "said Cha'rif. The coal was set alight, along with landholders' estates. The coal still burns. There are also bones. Watch your mounts!"

Nova looked down, and she felt sickened. Her mount had just stumbled over a Rikashan human skeleton. Some of the bones were crushed. Something howled in the distance, and she shivered.

"What was that?"

"_K'ranja_. Luckily, it is far away, Nova," said Baron Cha'rif. "We have to speed up. It has two heads and is carnivorous. We can't let it smell us…"

Nova held on, and she and Derek rode faster.

She wondered when they were going to get _out_ of this evil place and reach the city.

* * *

In a suit, Karl Forrester stood in a Federal courtroom in the Megalopolis with two JAG lawyers at almost 6 AM. Luckily, the Earth Government had been able to get a judge to hear their motion for an injunction on the release of the video from Rikasha.

Unfortunately, the networks had their own lawyers there. The judge, who was named Yoko Toshima, sat in silence as the network lawyer finished his argument.

"Still want to punch me in the nose, Karl?" whispered Commander Singleton beside Karl Forrester.

The lawyer smiled a bittersweet smile. "No. Thanks for having the JAG people help us."

"What they were asking for went against all human decency, given the effect upon Earth. I hope she decides for us."

"Isn't that Sandberg with the network lawyers?"

"Uh-huh."

"Why would he want that footage released?"

"To demoralize Earth. We found he's working with what's left of that cult, Karl. But, we have no specific evidence. Only anecdotal evidence. If we knew who, what, when, where, and why, he'd be arrested in a moment…"

"Thank you," said Judge Toshima. "Now, I am ready to render my verdict."

She took a drink of water and cleared her throat. "The Truth in Media Act of 2200 states that when news vital to the security of Earth is to be released, the Government is to take all deliberate speed in releasing the same in as much detail as possible. Unfortunately, the dispatch from Rikasha is upsetting to some, perhaps many, but I rule that the major networks may run what the Federal Government of Earth has released as of 1230 Hours earlier this morning. The Earth Defense Forces' motion to restrain is denied as prior restraint upon important facts. The footage may be released in full. That is all."

Toshima banged on her gavel and left the bench.

"We'll appeal!" yelled Singleton.

"It'll take you days to get Cert before the Supreme Court of Earth, Singleton," said Sandberg mockingly. "Sorry, but everyone gets to see your pet ship blow up. So much for the _chivalrous_ Star Force! I'm glad they're dead."

"You…you…jackal!" yelled Karl Forrester as he tried to get at Sandberg. Singleton just barely managed to restrain him.

"Karl…doing that won't help!"

"Commander….please. Let me at him!"

"Come on," said a bailiff. "Want us to have to run you in?"

Karl shook his head as tears ran down his cheeks.

* * *

**IV. CAUGHT!**

**Planet Rikasha**

**Deep Inside the Sherikhan Fortress**

**24 Ets'ien: Warbringer's Year 3219**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**0631 Hours: Earth Space-time**

**

* * *

**

"Hey, Feleena," said Homer, who was lying wrapped in a towel on top of several cushions.

"Yes?" giggled Feleena the harem entertainer. She was naked and was not in the least ashamed.

"That was fun."

"I am _glad_ you liked it," she said as she kissed Homer passionately. His face was now covered with lipstick. "Your friends were with Sheril, E'genda, Isha, and A'venda. Like to have a quick bit of fun with them before the sunrise comes in?"

"The sun is up?"

"Yes, but the windows are not yet open. The sun rises here when the eunuchs open the window screens."

"Good," said Dash, who was lying naked with Sheril on top on him as she fed him sweet fruit like grapes. "Man, keep the screens closed all _day_ for all I care!"

The harem girls giggled at that. Isha was running Eager's back while he wore a burnoose and smoked from a water pipe. "Part of me wants to jump ship and make a homestead here."

"Why don't you?" said Isha. "You can buy me out of here, we can buy a farm, and…"

At that, the doors were thrown open, and sunlight streamed in.

"Oh, crap," said Homer.

"Double crap," said Dash. "It's Lieutenant Fisher!"

Dash and Homer struggled into their pants and then stood up before Natalie Fisher and snapped ironic salutes. "What are you doing here?" said Dash. "We were kinda _busy_."

Natalie stood there in her nurse's tunic, angrily tapping a white-booted foot against the carpet. "Doc sent me here. You three were supposed to get shots this morning. Something to do that was more fun than your appointment?"

"What does it _look_ like?" said Homer as he tried to pull on his boots while Feleena giggled at him.

"How'd you find us?" said Dash as he pulled his shirt on.

"Scuttlebutt from the bridge," said Natalie. "Good thing Nova wasn't on duty this morning, or she might have you running back to the ship in your _skivvies_."

"Shoot," said Eager.

"And you'd better pay me a damn good bribe, or I'll tell Lisa everything," said Natalie, referring to Eager's girlfriend.

"You wouldn't," said Eager.

"I would," said Natalie. "And I'm spreading word this part of the Palace is off-limits."

"Shit," said Homer. "This was fun."

"You guys are on report," said Natalie cheerfully. "The Skipper will deal with you when he gets back…"

Feleena looked at Natalie. "You have nice legs, and good teeth," she said. "Like to join us?"

"Sorry, I'm already employed," said Natalie dryly. "Let's go. Boy, am I gonna have _fun_ telling Nova this one later on…"

"Yeah, I bet," said Dash.

* * *

**V. THE RIKASHAN COUNCIL**

**Planet Rikasha**

**The Meeting Hall of the Council of Nine**

**Jak'LAN**** Fortress: Rikala Center**

**24 Ets'ien: Warbringer's Year 3219**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**0720 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

On Rikasha, Lord T'Grish Zaden was smiling while he watched the footage of the _Argo's_ destruction that the Empire had just released to Earth. The 813th War Meeting of Lord Zaden's reign was about to begin, and Zaden felt that this day would be a very good one for the Rikashan/R'Khell Interstellar Union. He, Marshal Voton, Marda, and the Six Great Dukes would decide today what to do about the final attack upon Earth and…what to do about the Technomugar.

"Beautiful simulation, First Marshal Voton," said Zaden. "Nice piece of work."

"Aye, it is, isn't it?" said Lecha Voton. "Look at _this_ bit.

"Yes," said Zaden. "And it'll be fun when we kill them for real!"

"They must _not_ be slain," said Marda as she strode in. "I have orders to bring them _alive_ to the Dark Lord."

"Who is Lord of Rikasha, with all respect?" asked Zaden. "Is it Ekogaru, or is it _I_?"

"It is you," said Marda. "But you reign with the sufferance of the gods. It has always been that way. It shall always be that way."

"Look, why don't ya level with me?" hissed Zaden while he sipped at a tankard of ale. "Ekogaru's as mortal as you and I. He's a machine, not some damned God. This is all a scam to keep those superstitious idiots out there in line, isn't it?"

"You…are close to blasphemy!" said the R'Khell High Priestess.

"Why didn't the Second Advent take place yet? Why hasn't Ekogaru appeared in a shaft of light?"

"He has not chosen to appear yet! He wishes to destroy Earth!"

"Wait a minute, Lady. Earth was _ours_. All those riches, all that water, all that technology, all those slaves…it was ours. We have bled and fought for that planet, and we're gonna keep it. Oh, yeah, you can burn some victims to Ekogaru there, but…"

"But what? How dare you dictate to Ekogaru's High Priestess?"

The argument stopped as the rest of the Council of Nine began to file in.

* * *

Up above ground, Derek, Nova, Aliscea, and the others filed past guard post after guard post in the city. Rikala was a strange city. So much of the city was poor, until one got to the military compound, that is.

There, sandstone buildings turned to steel and glass. Men and women in robes turned to hard men in black and grey battle armor. There were checkpoints. Barbed wire. Hideous mutated beasts. But, Derek saw they were drawing closer towards a strange goal.

"This way," said a guard to Baron Cha'rif. "Take your guests with you. Then, leave."

Anton Cha'rif, clad again in his black uniform, nodded.

Nova was now back down to her dress, along with the other women. She was glad. It got hot quickly on Rikasha, and the heat burned the soles of her feet through her thin sandals.

_I can't wait to get into some air conditioning,_ she thought.

* * *

Below, in the obsidian-walled bunker that was the Council Chamber, Dukes Daka and Katros came in, laughing about some warped plot as they walked together.

Duke-_Kalif_ Argen V'chel was next. The black-clad _R'jkharraz_ mystic had said very little over the past few meetings; no one knew where his loyalties lay.

His Majestic Eminence, the Duke Micran Sh'rande, came in next. Zaden laughed at the latest slave boy that Sh'rande had acquired…he was eight, and he had on only a very thin loincloth. He fed the Duke various delicacies as he sat down at his chair, even though he was shivering in the air conditioning. He had plenty in common with Trala, Zaden's favorite harem girl. Today, Trala had on only a bikini, and she was very tired.

"You like him?" said Sh'rande. "He's from Earth! What's your name, boy?"

"Shiro," said the slave, who had recently seen his parents killed. "Why are you taking over Earth again?'

"Because they're weak," said Sh'rande. "Some of your Earth friends are about to confess to their crimes today. Like that?"

"I bet you _made_ them do it," sobbed Shiro.

"Shut up, or I'll slap your skinny little behind!"

"Yes, master," said Shiro. His voice sounded obedient, but there was no obedience in his eyes.

The young Duke Denstra came next. He thought, _Where__ is Duke Cha'rif? I hope he wasn't delayed! I'm supposed to bring the motion that we arranged! By the One, I hope that we haven't come to our deaths! _

He sat in silence as, last of all, six blue-clad guards from Sherikhan Province, the Cha'rifs' fief, came in. They parted, and Duke Sta'gin Cha'rif walked in, followed by Anton Cha'rif, his wife Mikala in a white tunic, veil, and sandals, and Derek and Nova Wildstar, Stephen Sandor, and Paul and Aliscea Rosstowski. Aliscea and Nova were, of course, clad in white Rikashan garb similar to the short dress that Baroness Mikala wore.

The guests were led to a large round table that was attached to the rectangular table of the Council. Captain Wildstar found that the chairs were very hard, and very straight. _The chairs fit the people_, he thought. _What an evil-looking bunch! They look more like pirates than rulers. Scars and eyepatches all over the place, and ugly faces and missing teeth… yecch!_

"Remember," whispered Baron Cha'rif in Nova's ear. "Look at Zaden, and then cast your eyes downward. You're a commoner woman. You're not supposed to look at His Eminence for long."

"He's so _ugly,_ who'd want to?" whispered Nova in return. Beside her, Derek gave a thumbs-up.

"I'm cold," whispered Nova as they sat down together.

"The air conditioning here is ridiculous," said Derek. "We just went from a furnace to a freezer."

"Yes, especially when you're one tunic away from being naked, Derek. I'm cold again! And this crowd doesn't look friendly."

"Some of them look rational," said Sandor. "I think we can appeal to their consciences."

"_What_ consciences?" asked Paul. "That Zaden looks like Henry the Eighth coming off a hunger strike."

Aliscea was hungry. She looked up at Zaden devouring a plate of joints as if there was no tomorrow. _Here is a man whose god is his stomach and whose conscience is dead_, she thought. _Nothing like Desslok, who is a decent if sometimes temperamental and harsh man.__ Yet, we have to depend upon him to stop Ekogaru._ _And not even this bunch deserves to get wiped out by the Dark Lord. _

Zaden then looked right at Aliscea and smiled. "Want some food, baby doll?"

"Not food of _that_ type!" said Aliscea. "What are you eating?"

"None of your business. Didn't know I could speak Terran, did you, people?" said Zaden with food in his mouth. "Heard everything, too. Got all your seats bugged."

The Star Force party looked at each other in shock.

"Don't be surprised," said Zaden. "I'm a smart man. I'm nice, too. If you give me a nice show, might let you live. Maybe."

"Cha'rif, you didn't say this would be a trap," said Derek with his teeth gritted. "Riding here on those camel-like beasts…"

"I didn't know either," said Anton. Some of Zaden's guards had blasters in his back. "I am nobility!" he roared in Rikashan. "You can't treat me like that!"

"You are a visitor here," said one of the R'Khell guards, also in Rikashan. "We can treat you any way we want. Sergeant, give the Earthling scum the translator headsets."

Headsets were tossed on the table before the Wildstars, Sandor, and the Rosstowskis. Baron Cha'rif said, "Put those on and connect them the way they show you. You will be able to understand them via computer in real-time, since they will speak Rikashan. Speak into the microphones in a soft voice, and your voices will be reproduced in Rikashan to them when you speak."

Derek got his headset on just in time. Zaden stood and rang a gong, and the meeting began a moment later, with the Rikashans and Technomugar now speaking Rikashan.

Zaden said. "This is a historic day. Baron Anton Cha'rif has captured the Terran Space Battleship _Argo_, and has brought its primary officers here for inspection along with Lady Aliscea of Pellias. Aliscea has long been desired by Ekogaru, Bless His Name. However, of some concern to some of you has been the actions of the Technomugar as of late. Do they not mean well to us, Duke Cha'rif…Baron Cha'rif? Now that we stand on the cusp of taking Planet Terra, also known as Earth, what is it you wish for Us to know about the Technomugar, O Cha'rif Clan? And why do you bring the Terrans _clothed_ into our midst as free equals to speak to us when they should be stripped and in chains? I'm not sure whether to be amused or ticked off!"

"Lord," said Duke Cha'rif. "My Son can explain this better than I can, even though I wish to tell you that these Earthlings are not defeated and have never been defeated. They are men and women of honor. Indeed, my son has made a truce with them. They are here under our protection as equals, because the _Ji'had_ you begun at Ekogaru's behest shall only lead to our people's doom in the end."

"You made a _truce_ with them?" said Zaden mockingly. "Why, Baron? Have you lost your marbles? Too much desert sun?" laughed Zaden. "You don't recall that I said I'd have you killed if you came back here without defeating this lot?"

"I made a truce with them because I have learned that Ekogaru the Great is no God!" yelled Anton Cha'rif. "Indeed, Ekogaru's forces considered both of us the enemy on Carufax! And there, Ekogaru, our protector, was slaying Rikashans! Is that the actions of one who is benevolent and merciful? He has violated Sura Twenty-Five and Book Five of our Scriptures! He is not honorable!"

"Name your evidence, idiot!" roared Zaden.

"I have the evidence!" said Aliscea, who knew how to speak to these people. She threw off her veil and headset and addressed them directly in fluent and sarcastic Rikashan Male Speech. "_Ja-kelts en-valaran'de e'ts vel en'jidal_!"

Sandor heard her pronouncement as "Yea, I have the evidence. If you people are man enough to hear it, that is!"

"Blasphemer! Enemy!" yelled Marda. "She is a Woman who speaks like a Man! WHORE!"

"Not all," said Katros. "If one of us pronounces a woman a man, they can speak to us. Remember, woman is to be subjected to the veil and to her father and husband. To name a woman an honorary Man like us is a great honor! Go ahead, Man!" he roared. "Speak to us, man with a bosom!"

"Marda, you are the damned blasphemer!" yelled back Aliscea. "And, Katros, thank you for allowing me to speak and not sit quiet like a woman," added Aliscea. The memories in her head were telling her exactly how to act in this sexist, machismo-driven culture. And it seemed, so far, that she was succeeding.

"Scum!" yelled Voton. "You've shed your veil. Then, take off your clothes when you talk to me, tramp! The only way I talk to unveiled women is if they're naked!"

"I am royalty!" said Aliscea. "Go shoot yourself!"

Nova's eyes went wide when she heard that, and she thought. _You go, girl. Give it to them!_

"Yes!" roared Duke Sh'rande, who wanted to have some fun. "She's cuter than you! Let her speak!"

"Shut your pie-hole," said Voton.

"You silence yourself!" roared Sh'rande. Then, he took off a dagger and threw it at Voton.

Aliscea just dodged the dagger, smiling as if she was used to this sort of random violence. But, Nova's eyes went wide as the knife flew past her. "Derek, ask Cha'rif if this is usual here. Don't they have a sergeant at arms?"

"I'll try…if anyone can hear me over this screaming!"

"Damn you!" yelled Zaden. He banged his gong for silence, and roared when he found his Council was ignoring him as Sh'rande spit on Voton and everyone else yelled.

"Scum-bucket!" yelled Daka. "How dare you speak to Sh'rande like that, Voton? We _made_ you! We can _break _you!"

"Yea, the power's with us!" yelled Katros.

"_We_ are Rikasha," said Duke V'Chel in a deep voice. In his black robes, he was an imposing figure. "You, Voton, are not! _Hireling!"_

"Murdering scum!" yelled Voton.

"Treasonous cretin!" yelled Sh'rande. "I heard about Carufax! They killed a thousand of my best slaves there! Speak, girl!" he yelled at Aliscea. "Speak and tell him the tale!"

Aliscea jumped up onto the table, startling everyone.

"This is the tale!" she cried with her arms out. "Your Ekogaru, your Great One, is a genocidal maniac! And you, Zaden, deserve to burn for supporting him! But I will give you a last chance to change your destiny!" she said as she knelt on the table. "_Behold!_"

Aliscea made a ball of light appear before her, and, inside the ball of light, there was an image of Pellias…and its destruction. "Behold! Ekogaru caused that! He killed billions on Pellias! Now, behold Carufax. Look at this!"

The Rikashans looked on as they saw ordinary Rikashans beaten, stripped, crucified, and reduced to slavery by the Technomugar. Aliscea showed the dungeon where she and her friends hung in torment. Then, she showed Rikashan tradespeople and military men beaten and tormented in the same dungeon."

"And you call them _allies_," said Aliscea as she stood and danced light-footed on the table. "I was being held by them because I committed the great crime of wanting to protect what remained of my people from Ekogaru! Look at this lot. They turn brother against brother, and relative against relative."

"Look at Ekogaru's prime piece of work," said Aliscea.

She made an image of Yvona appear in her ball of energy.

"An Earthling?" roared Sh'rande.

"Aye," said Aliscea with a smile in Ancient Rikashan. "She was named Yvona Josiah. She made common cause with us and with Ekogaru. She used that association to…act…in a most dishonorable manner! Behold!"

Scenes of Yvona torturing Rikashans passed across the Council's started eyes as Nova looked nauseated.

"Empowered by Ekogaru, she was made a cyborg, and a shape-changer," said Aliscea. "Behold her hatred for her kin!"

Nova felt sick as scenes of a younger Yvona tormenting her son Samuel rolled across their eyes. "She tortured her son, a grave dishonor in your code of conduct. Is it not written in your law, "_Treat the slave as you like, but the desert for the Mother who tortures her son and lesser kin of tender years?_"

And then, the scene switched to one of young Nova being spanked and beaten…and worse at eleven by Yvona.

Nova couldn't look. She hid her eyes in shame.

"And this is what she does to her kin! Her young niece! Behold this sickness!" screamed Aliscea. "And, lo, Ekogaru induced my father to turn traitor and do worse to me! LOOK!"

"She lies!" yelled Marda. "These are illusions! Ekogaru is no molester!"

"No, she shows us the truth!" said Duke V'Chel. "I am _R'jkharraz_. Her visions are true, O Council!"

"Thank you, Brother," said Baron Cha'rif with tears in his eyes.

"You are welcome, Brother," said V'Chel to his fellow R'jkharraz and warrior psionic. "Behold, the Order stands with you now. We are praying for you as she speaks."

"Thanks."

"Derek, why does she have to show this?" whispered Nova.

"I don't know."

"To make her case," said Baron Anton Cha'rif. "She is establishing the character of Ekogaru's followers. All of what the Council has seen are grave crimes in our ancient Scriptures. Crimes which Ekogaru supposedly prohibited."

The Council hissed as Ekogaru was shown embracing Yvona.

"He should kill her for that," said Katros. "Embracing a God! She profanes his Person!"

"Fool," said Sh'rande. "Is he a God? Gods have not our desires!"

Duke Cha'rif was glad at Sh'rande's reaction. He had been the most heartless of the Six Great Dukes. If _he_ was being swayed to their side, the other Dukes who actually had consciences would surely follow.

The scenes were followed by Yvona's murder of her husband. This was the first time Nova had seen this, and her lip trembled as she saw Hiram Josiah stabbed to death by this woman in her clothing.

"Shape-changer! Unnatural shape-changer!" yelled Katros. "What happened to the scum?"

Nova got the courage to stand. "She challenged me to battle, and I killed her!"

"Hear, HEAR!" yelled Katros. "Take off your veil! I pronounce you a man along with Aliscea!"

"Uh, is that a good thing?" asked Nova with a blush as she looked at the Cha'rifs.

Mikala stood and kissed her on the cheek. "It's a good thing." Then, she took Nova's veil off. "Stand up there on the table and address them the same way Aliscea did. Some of the more boisterous of our customs come in the days when Council met in a drinking house millenia ago. Go. Speak!"

Aliscea jumped off the table, and Nova jumped up.

"I am Lieutenant Nova Wildstar of Earth. I am both the mate of Captain Derek Wildstar, and I served as a warrior under him well before we married, and am still a warrior. We brought down Gamilon, and we brought down the White Comet. Now, we know how to bring down Ekogaru's Technomugar Empire! And you must join us in the cause!"

"Deicide!" yelled Marda. "Strip her and beat her!"

"I brought down Yvona, my aunt…not because I _wanted_ to," said Nova as tears ran down her cheeks. She had decided she wouldn't talk like Aliscea…that was not her style. _Instead, I'll try to talk to them like them, but from where I come from_, she thought. "But because her crimes were so great. I am a woman of peace. I don't like the sword or the gun. I like to heal people. Times being what they are, though…I had to take up arms and fight with our men! Our Earth, a world of peace and honor, was twice endangered by Gamilon and by the Comet Empire. Now, you threaten our way of life. You are about to shed your blood against strong, decent people who love their children and can defend themselves….and for what? Because some machine-man like your Priestess pretends to be a god and tells you to go kill yourselves and kill other people's children? That's not honor in my book, that's _craziness_!"

"Die!" yelled Voton. "Die! Die! Die!"

"Hold it," said Zaden. "The girl-man may have a point, buddy."

"Girl-man?" said Derek. "I should punch his…"

"Wildstar, it's an honor among them," whispered Sandor. "They just made Nova an honorary man so she can take off her veil and address the Council. Women can't do that here. It's like one of the ancient Arab countries, I think."

"Oh. I see," said Derek.

"When I met your people," continued Nova. "I thought you were the worst damned bunch of murderers that populated the universe. Until I met your Baron Cha'rif. I began to respect him. He was stuck in his lot. Maybe he wasn't like the rest of you. You may be evil, but I don't want to see Ekogaru misuse you and play you like a bunch of fools! Admit it! He lied to you! Now, you can change that and get ready to defend yourselves against your god turned devil…before it's too late. Because, after us, he's coming for _you_ next! That's all I can say now…prove to us you aren't like him…if you can!"

Nova jumped down. The Council applauded.

"Give it to them, Derek," said Nova as she climbed down from off the table (showing off a good bit of herself before she got her skirt back down.).

"I will," he said. He kissed Nova, and then he stood up.

"I am Captain Derek Wildstar, commander of the space battleship _Argo_…the ship you were fighting. I don't have a lot to say to you, unlike the women you heard," said Captain Wildstar. "Sometimes, they drive me out of my mind, both of them, but they're two of the bravest women I have ever met. Only Trelaina of Telezart and Queen Starsha of Iscandar are in their league. Anyway. I am here to fight you, if you wish to remain my enemies. If not, we can, as much as the prospect bothers me…we can…join forces to help bring down Ekogaru. Like my wife said, "He's coming for you, next!" I have seen that some of your can be decent. If you are truly decent, let's shake hands, forget this Holy War, and take on Ekogaru together, before he makes sure we all hang separately. He is an invader on your turf now. And, Aliscea here has told me he plans to go after you, next. Are we together against him?"

"We are," said Katros, who stood and shook his fist. "House Katros stands with Earth!"

"Traitor!" yelled Zaden. "I haven't declared the _ji'had _over yet!"

"Hang your _ji'had_, Zaden!" yelled Sh'rande to more applause. "Want my slave boy, Wildstar? Dress the little creep if you want and let him go!"

Shiro, flabbergasted, was shoved towards Derek and Nova.

"Oh, God, you're from Earth!" whispered Nova.

"I was" he sobbed. "Take me home!"

"We…will see that you have a home…" said Nova, who thought, _I'd take him, but we can't take a boy home on the Argo in wartime like that….what do we do? _Mikala stood and threw a cloak over the boy's shoulders, clothing him and freeing him from slavery at once.

Zaden sat there. "Okay, who else wants to end up as traitors?"

"We will," said Duke Cha'rif. "I stand with these men! End the war!"

"Who else?" said Zaden.

V'Chel and Daka stood up. "We stand with our brothers. Your _ji'had _has no support with the Dukes any longer!"

"You have no respect for Ekogaru!" yelled Marda.

"I wouldn't pay him to wash me in a bath-house," said Denstra.

"I defy you!" said Zaden. "I am still Lord here!"

"Then _step down_!" roared Duke Cha'rif. "You no longer have a…"

A shot rang out. Duke Cha'rif staggered, and fell on the polished table.

Marda stood over the table, smiling, with a gun in her hand. "He died in the Name of Ekogaru. And unless you surrender, he won't be the first!"

"_Father!_" cried Baron Cha'rif.

Aliscea came over. She held his hands and muttered prayers in his ears. "The damage is too great," she said. "I can't save him."

"They are killers!" roared Lord Zaden. "The Terrans and Pellians speak the truth."

"Farewell," muttered Duke Sta'gin Cha'rif as he muttered a prayer in Rikashan…to the One.

The old man then died in his son's arms.

Baron Cha'rif wailed and tore his clothes.

A moment later, so did Duke Katros. The other Dukes followed suit.

"Duke Cha'rif," said Denstra to Anton. "Will you stand?"

Anton nodded.

Katros jumped up on the table, pointing a weapon at Zaden. He switched abruptly to Terran English. "As the late Duke was trying to say, YOU NO LONGER HAVE A GOVERNMENT! WE RESIGN! YOU MUST ABIDICATE!"

The new Duke Cha'rif clapped his hands, and twenty black-robed R'jkharraz ran into the chamber waving scimitars, along with twenty armored Rikashan Imperial regulars with weapons.

"What?" said Derek. He drew his weapon. Nova found a stone paperweight and picked it up to back up her husband.

"Do not panic. I arranged this. They are loyal to me," said Cha'rif.

"What is the meaning of this?" roared Zaden.

"Sign this," said one of the armored men as he slammed a scroll on the table. "It is your Warrant."

Marda blew a whistle, and ten red-armored R'Khell troopers ran into the room. However, Aliscea, the Terrans, and the men who stood behind Cha'rif at the other side of the table with the Dukes didn't look too concerned, since the Rikashan regulars turned their weapons on the R'Khells. They were outnumbered.

"Sign!" said the new Duke Cha'rif. "You know our laws, Zaden!"

"Why do you speak their tongue now?" demanded Zaden.

"They are witnesses. Do you stand down?"

Zaden nodded. "Yes. If you promise me sanctuary."

Cha'rif nodded.

Lord Zaden grabbed a quill pen and a bottle of ink, and he scrawled his runes across the warrant that he didn't even bother to glance at, save for two lines. Then, he smiled right at Marda and took out his seal to seal what would be his final decree as Lord of Rikasha. When the wax hit the paper and was stamped down, there was silence.

"Well, I had a nice reign," said Zaden. "Too bad I have to say goodbye, but, well, Marda…I have to tell ya this."

Zaden then picked up his seal and cleaned it off. Then, he took the paper and walked over to the other side of the room while the R'Khells hissed.

"I stand with my brother Rikashans," said Lord Zaden. "Terrans," he said in clear Terran English with a heavy accent. "I end the _ji'had_ against you now. Welcome to Mother Rikasha, as guests, now. Rikasha no longer has a quarrel with Earth."

"And we no longer have a quarrel with you, Lord Zaden," said Captain Wildstar as he shook his enemy's hand for the first time.

"I am not Lord of Rikasha now, or will not be in a minute, that is," said Zaden. He smiled and handed the seal to Duke Anton Cha'rif. "Here it is, boy. Take good care of it. And be more careful in your alliances than I was, eh, kinsman?"

Cha'rif nodded. "Yes, Cousin," he said.

Then, Zaden threw his arms around Cha'rif. "Hail the new Lord of Rikasha, Lord Anton Cha'rif!"

"_Hail Cha'rif!"_ cried the rest of the Dukes.

Cha'rif looked out at the assembly as Zaden took off his cloak and threw it over his shoulders. Then, he spoke, "Thank you, Duke Zaden. You will take over Voton's fief. Former General, kin, you and your house are now a Great House."

"Thank you. I shall lead your new Council, if you'll have me," he said.

"You'll be on the Council, but not as Leader," said Cha'rif. "You shall have my father's old Chair."

"What about me?" roared Voton.

"Marshal Voton, you will step down. General Hemmertz is First Marshal now in your stead. You and Marda ordered the slaying of the innocents at the _Westhampton__ Beach_ affair. I order you to take off your emblems of rank and surrender to the Terrans to return to Terra aboard the _Argo _to face war crimes trials."

"Never!" roared Voton.

"Marda, you will resign as High Priestess," continued Lord Cha'rif. "Prostrate yourself before Aliscea and kiss her feet and demand forgiveness. Then, strip and surrender yourself to Aliscea of the Pellian Government, Wildstar of the Terran Government, and myself as an enemy alien. I recognize Pellias and Terra as free states and allies of my Empire and recognize Derek Wildstar and Aliscea Rosstowski as ambassadors _pro tem_ to my Court. I now begin the First War Meeting of MY new Reign! "

"The first war meeting?" said Marda. "You just ended the holy war with Earth against Ekogaru's wishes, you long-haired stinking psychic boy idiot!"

"Oh, it _is_ our first war meeting," said Cha'rif as Zaden laughed and hugged him. "You see, Marda, the Rikashan Empire now no longer recognizes Ekogaru as a God You see, we recognize him as a fraud. Don't we, my friends?"

Zaden and the other Dukes yelled "YEA!" as one and applauded.

Then, Duke Zaden walked over to a pedestal and knocked a statue of Ekogaru to the floor, shattering it. "That is what we think of your "GOD", Marda! He's a murderer and a psychopath! I'm just a murderer who needs to make amends. Not as bad, huh?"

Lord Cha'rif then said, "Thank you, Duke. I order Ekogaru stripped from the roll of gods and I order his temples to be closed! You will order the R'Khell Priesthood of Ekogaru and E'ko'ge, who is but another "form" of Ekogaru, to bow to me, and surrender its weapons and armaments to the Empire at once. From this day forth, we declare ourselves free of Ekogaru, free of our past, and free to create our own destiny!"

"And we'll help you with a new destiny," said Wildstar. "I told you about the Cosmo-DNA, didn't I?"

"You did on the journey here. Tell the others."

Derek walked in front of the group. "Planet Iscandar enabled Earth to heal itself from the radioactivity of Gamilon's planet bombs and rebuild Earth's desert-like environment by giving us the Cosmo-DNA, a machine that can rebuild worlds and restore environments."

"I've been looking at your planet," said Sandor. "My name is Commander Stephen Sandor. I am Wildstar's scientific officer. Even though your radiation has largely decayed, I think that we could possibly use the Cosmo-DNA machine to reverse the mass desertification and ruin of your world caused by Ekogaru's ancient war. We can help you build a new world, like we discussed with the new Lord Cha'rif on our way here."

"I'll go for it," said Duke Zaden. "Lord Cha'rif... is this meeting over with, yet?"

"You can't call Cha'rif your Lord!" said Marda. "You have no right!"

"Why not? I just quit, didn't I?" said Zaden. "Guys, you'll still have a quorum without me. I want to get out of these clothes that I am no longer entitled to."

"I give you leave to go, Duke," said Cha'rif. "You will then have a Rikashan Standard day to vacate this palace."

"Gladly," he said. "First bloodless change in power we've had in five hundred years, huh? Not bad, eh? Farewell."

Zaden turned and began to walk out.

"I did not give you leave to go!" yelled Voton.

"He did," said Zaden. "Now, you're under arrest, I think, so you can't bloody tell me what to do. You are not Lord of Rikasha. Cha'rif is. Maybe he'll give you bread and water before you go up on a cross, boy."

Zaden turned. In rage, Voton drew his weapon and fired three shots into his former Lord's back.

Baroness Mikala Cha'rif screamed. But, Zaden staggered and fired back at Voton.

Voton dodged the beam and fired again. Zaden fell, but he tossed his weapon towards Nova, the ally nearest to him.

"Huh?" she said.

"Use that!" he yelled. "I…I can't fight…bleeding badly…"

"Thanks," said Nova. She dropped the stone paperweight and watched Cha'rif to learn how to unlock the safety on the Rikashan hand-blaster. Then, she ran to Derek's side.

"Nova," he said. "Get under…"

"Where will I go? Beside you is the safest place."

Derek reluctantly nodded.

"_I am Lord of Rikasha_!" yelled Voton. "I'll kill you all! The Priesthood exerts its right to…"

"FIRE!" yelled Cha'rif.

Derek, Nova and Aliscea ducked under the table as Cha'rif's men began to fire, popping up to return fire via blaster and via Aliscea's flame. The R'Khell guards fired back.

Under overwhelming fire from the others, Voton held onto Marda. She winked, and the two of them disappeared, along with the R'Khell guards.

"Where did they go?" yelled a flabbergasted Wildstar.

"To their ship above us," said Aliscea. "A Goraizu Fortress. And she's already warping out of here."

Lord Cha'rif ran to Zaden's side, followed by Aliscea, Nova, and the others.

* * *

"He's bleeding badly," said Nova a few minutes later. All of them were kneeling around Zaden, the ex-Lord of Rikasha. "All I can do with this Rikashan equipment is ease his pain a bit. It's just…a matter of time, now…"

"I cant do much here, either. I am still recovering from saving you and Derek again, and from exerting my power in our battle," said Aliscea. She whispered in Zaden's ear in his native tongue. Zaden nodded back and she and he whispered the same thing.

"I am dying…" said the former Lord of Rikasha slowly. "Aliscea provided spiritual comfort, though. I have prayed. I know that the One has forgiven me. Amazing, how I forgot about the One we once worshipped above Ekogaru long ago, the true Lord of Gods. The Creator of our gods, or what we thought were gods. Lord Cha'rif…Captain Wildstar, you face a great battle. The R'Khells will be formidable enemies. They control about a third of the Empire. There will be civil war, my Lordship."

"I know that. That's why I wanted you on my Council, even after all that has happened," said Lord Cha'rif.

"So sorry your father…had to die. Nice man. Least I will join him, now."

"Good," said Nova.

"You are a beautiful woman, Nova, caring for your former foe," said Zaden as Nova wiped his sweaty forehead. "I feel so sorry we ever had to fight your kind, decent race. I was deluded by Ekogaru. I wish it could have been otherwise…kid. Help them see to it that our people are safe and on their way to a new age. A real new age."

"Rikasha is in better hands now," said Nova.

"Yes. Better than mine," said Zaden. He gasped. "Aliscea. I am sorry we ordered your capture. I am very sorry about what we did to Pellias."

"It is hard for me to forgive you, but I shall accept it, so that you can rest better," said Aliscea.

"Good. I go…to my fathers. Fare…farewell…"

Zaden's hand went limp.

There was more wailing and screaming as Aliscea kissed Zaden's corpse and shut his eyes. Nova drew a spare cape over his face.

Derek snapped a salute. "Farewell, Zaden of Rikasha."

"Now, we have much to do," said Cha'rif. "Let's go."

"What do we have to do?" asked Captain Wildstar.

"R'Khells will be coming. War is beginning on Rikasha itself," said Cha'rif. "For your safety, you must leave this planet. Today."

"I understand," said Captain Wildstar. At that, he left.

* * *

**To be Continued with Act Three: "_We've Got to get Out of this Place…"_**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 11 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**


	3. Chapter 3

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****A LAST BREATH BEFORE THE PLUNGE**

**Being the tenth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

_with__ some help from Gail Kopetz, (aka Fluffy Kitten) who made some suggestions to Nova's apparel in one scene…_

**ACT THREE: WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE….**

* * *

**I. FLIGHT **

**Planet Rikasha**

**Jak'LAN**** Fortress: Rikala Center**

**24 Ets'ien: Warbringer's Year 3219**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**0935 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

"We just made it," said Aliscea Rosstowski.

"Where's Shiro, the little boy?" asked Nova.

"We lost him in this crowd," said Derek.

"Oh, no!" cried Nova. "I hope they don't…rip him _apart_!"

She was out of breath. So was everyone else.

She, Paul, the Wildstars, and Sandor were now surrounded by about a hundred Rikashan troops. They had just been running up stairwells and through security checkpoints upon the order of the new First Marshal of Rikasha, General Hemmertz. Hemmertz was in touch with Lord Anton Cha'rif by communicator.

Hemmertz had long dark hair and a thick beard, and seemed to be a decent sort.

"We've made it, but that was just the first hurdle," said Hemmertz. "The desert cruisers I asked for should be here in a moment. They will be needed."

"I can hear why," said Captain Wildstar.

All around them was a riot of noise. People were cheering, screaming, and shouting various things in Rikashan.

"What are they yelling?" asked Nova Wildstar.

"Some of them are friendly, glad that Zaden is overthrown. Others are glad that the government of the R'Khell priests is no more. Others are protesting against this change."

Sandor smiled as, off in the distance, he saw a mob pulling down a statue of Ekogaru. That same mob was attacked by another mob…some of whom had only sticks and rocks…but others were in red armor, with weapons.

Then, some of the troopers in red attacked them.

Aliscea was grabbed by her dress and pulled into a mob of people with sticks. She was struck on the head and shoulders and jostled around a few times before she strained her mind a great deal, using her power to set some of the mob on fire. Paul temporarily fell down as rocks were thrown at him, but he came up shooting. At the same time, another mob came to her defense, attacking the first mob.

"Get back!" yelled Sandor. He and Derek jumped up onto a pedestal; Captain Wildstar stopped to pull Nova up by her hand as Sandor began firing at the unarmed urban maniacs. Then, some of them unleashed dogs. Or things that sounded like dogs. Nova screamed as a dog-like creature with two heads ran towards her.

Hanging by Derek's hand, she fired at it, but one of her sandals slipped on the cobblestoned street and her right foot slipped out of the backless shoe, followed by her left. The shoes vanished a moment later as some members of the mob picked them up. Nova screamed for a moment as some Rikashan beat her about the head with her own shoe before she elbowed the raving turban-clad man away. Then, the dog-like creature got the hem of her dress and pulled her down while the other head growled and slavered. There was a tearing noise; some of her dress was coming off.

"Nova!" screamed Derek.

"Derek, give me a hand!"

Nova dropped her weapon. Derek grabbed both of her hands and pulled. Nova jumped up onto the pedestal, literally getting a toehold with her bare feet on the edge of the stone pedestal. In the meantime, while kicking a R'Khell priest in the mouth, Sandor jumped down and retrieved Nova's blaster, firing it at the group of priests and their followers as other men appeared, beating the priests with sticks and helping the troops protect the beleaguered Terrans. In the meantime, Nova jumped towards the other side of the pedestal and followed Derek and Sandor to safety, running as best as she could barefoot on the hot cobblestones. But, the creature got her scent and was in hot pursuit. Luckily, Derek helped her by firing at it. Sandor then gave Nova her blaster. She then pumped a second blaster shot into the thing, which fell whimpering to the ground.

"Nova…are you all right?" asked Derek as Sandor looked on with concern.

"Just scratched up…" she said. "I'm fine..."

Then, a cloud of dust came up. More R'Khell priests in red robes and red armor appeared, surrounding the hatchway of the personnel carrier they were climbing into.

A moment later, Captain Wildstar and Nova were also surrounded.

"Wildstar! Nova!" yelled Sandor in utter shock as something like a concussion blast went off nearby.

It was very bright. For a moment, he was blinded.

_God, I've lost them,_ he thought. _They're…in that…crowd…._

"Get in!" yelled Hemmertz.

"I can't abandon my commanding officer!" yelled Sandor. "Or his wife!"

"We have to go!" yelled Hemmertz. "Get in!"

"Sandor," he then heard Rosstowski saying. "Wildstar's gonna be all right!"

"What about Nova?"

"Her too," said Aliscea. "Now, let's move on…"

Giving up, Sandor allowed himself to be pushed into the carrier's bay. All he could see was dim blue light.

_I've lost them,_ he thought. _I've lost Wildstar and Nova. Alex, forgive me. Once again, someone's died because of my mistakes!_

* * *

The cruiser began to move. Sandor shook his head, trying to shake the tears out of his eyes.

A door opened inside the huge Rikashan desert cruiser…a landgoing hovertank the size of a Gamilon destroyer.

The door opened, and Sandor's eyes opened in surprise.

"Wildstar? Nova?"

Derek came in, in a somewhat tattered uniform, carrying Nova in his arms as tears ran down his cheeks. Nova lay there in her tattered rags, looking very stunned, helpless, and vulnerable. For a moment, Sandor thought she was dead, until he saw a tear running down her cheek as her nose twitched. She raised her head and slowly looked at Aliscea and Sandor. "Derek…uh…protected me. He helped me beat them. As you can see…I kind of l got my things torn up."

Sandor looked aghast, trying to look away. She was barely decent. However, he noticed that Nova had certainly not lost her ability to blush. "Wildstar, do you have anything to wrap her in?"

"Yes…I was just going to cover her with my shirt," said Derek. He clothed her in the shirt, and then said, "Nova, I'll try to find you some pants..."

"Okay."

"You had better not put anything more on her," said Hemmertz.

"Why not?" demanded Derek.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But there are reasons. Such as survival. They were using gas out there, and I had to order this ship sealed. Unfortunately, the air conditioning in this desert cruiser isn't working well. We'll try to ventilate with the regular air ducts as we get out of the city, past the R'Khells' poison gas, but given the desert heat, your wife's state of undress may help her avoid heat prostration. I can see she's beginning to suffer a bit now. Give her water, and keep her in as little as possible until we can adjust the temperature in this cruiser…if we can."

"Nova…" said Derek. "I…"

"Derek, what he's saying makes sense," said Nova in a calm voice. "Funny, I'm starting to feel strangely...relaxed?" Then, she laughed.

"Good you understand," said Hemmertz. "I will give you water, and would encourage the rest of you to loosen or remove your clothing."

Aliscea nodded. Derek sat down, still sheltering Nova very protectively in his arms. "Where are we going, Marshal?" she asked.

Hemmertz replied, "We are heading for your ship in the Sherikhan Fortress. Com-scan reports that a R'Khell fleet is heading towards the city. Luckily, Lord Cha'rif has called up the Thirteenth Home Fleet to counteract the attack."

"Can we call Earth yet?" asked Captain Wildstar. He sighed, picking up the water skin. _It's broiling in here already_, he thought. _I hope we don't die in this thing. But, I guess we'll be okay,_ he added to himself, as he thought, _Now, why am I so unconcerned?_

He undid the cork from the water skin, took a few sips, and then gave the water to Nova

Paul Rosstowski climbed in a second later. "Aliscea! You okay?"

"Yes. Open your shirt, there's no air conditioning in this thing."

"Hey..uh…okay," said Paul as Aliscea quickly stripped him of his Star Force shirt and undershirt.

Sandor came back in, closing the hatch hard over the thrum of the desert cruiser. His eyes suddenly went wide. "Uh…Wildstar…this looks…interesting... _Poor Nova!_ he thought as he saw her sitting there in Wildstar's semi-open shirt and rags and tatters.

"Open your shirt, Steve," said Nova. "There's no air conditioning in here…that's one reason I'm like this."

"Uh…err….what's the other reason?"

"Fido back there decided to rip my dress to pieces, Sandor. Nova looked down at herself. "Uh…unless there's a boutique around, Sandor, I'm just gonna have to go in rags for a while."

"I see. Uhh…"

"Go ahead, you can look…" said Nova with a giggle. _That's not like me_, she thought. _What will be doing next? Telling him about that one art class I was in back in college? _

"Nova, who's looking?" smiled Sandor, who was trying very hard to keep good eye contact with Nova.

Shiro, the Earth boy, climbed in next, pushed up by two Rikashan soldiers. He ended up body-slamming into Derek's lap.

"Uh…Nova…"

"Oh, we've got a chaperone," said Nova. "Hi, Shiro," she said, mussing his hair up.

"Would you adopt me?"

"You need a bath," said Nova as she sidestepped the question, while thinking, _I wish we could….._ She smiled at the wiggling little boy in her lap as his cloak fell off. "Your knees are _filthy_!"

Hemmertz listened to his headset for a minute. "Cha'rif tells me he has just tried to send a counter-message to refute the one that Zaden sent a few hours ago. Unfortunately, the planet and the Net are being jammed by the R'Khells. Let's bring up our speed!"

The carrier advanced with a roar…moving at a quick speed on anti-gravs.

"We should be back at the Sherikhan Palace before sunset…I've let them know you'll be there so you can wash up and dress before you board your ship," said Hemmertz. "I will leave you now. The soldiers will give you food rations. Have a nice trip."

A minute later, the hatch closed, and Derek Wildstar realized he was stuck in a hot, closed vehicle….with his wife and an eight year-old boy competing for space against him. The carrier ground on. Eventually, over the grinding of the ship, the young couple went to sleep in each other's arms, with Shiro holding onto Derek's arm.

_How cute,_ thought Sandor as he smiled at the Captain, Nova, and their little "friend." _Now, he thought, why am I so unconcerned? This is weird..._

* * *

The drive went on. Aliscea kissed Paul and covered him with a light scrap of cloth…he lay asleep in the steamy tank.

"So tell me about yourself," said Aliscea as she smiled at Sandor. "You know, with your shirt off I can see the difference in skin tone between your partially tanned chest and your arms, so I can see you're a cyborg. I think. Am I right?"

"I am," said Sandor, who was now clad in only his boxer shorts. "But I'm nothing like those Technomugar. He tapped at his right arm. "It's mechanical, and it ends around here," he said, tapping at his shoulder.

"How'd you get like that?"

"See these old scars? It was an accident in my childhood," he said. "I was on a jet coaster at an amusement park. I drove too fast, and I crashed. The crash disfigured me, and it killed my big sister, who was beside me in the car."

"It sounds horrible. Both arms…are like that?"

"Yes," said Steve. "Both legs, too. The joining is right around my crotch."

"Uh…can you have…children?"

Steve smiled ruefully and shook his head. "No. But they were able to put enough back together so I can function as a man with a woman. I haven't been with many women, unlike my old Academy friend and roommate, Alex."

"His brother?" asked Aliscea, pointing towards Derek.

"Yes," said Steve. "I was always the studious, serious type; Alex was the jock and playboy. But we both loved a beer and a good conversation together. Alex was a great friend. He even tried to set me up with a few girls."

"Did it work out?"

"Once it did," sighed Steve. "Then, she got the radiation sickness. You can probably guess the rest. I still lay a flower on her grave when I can."

"Do you miss her?"

"I do, but I have a wife already."

"You do?"

"My work," laughed Sandor. "My machines, plans, and computers are like a spouse to me. Although there are times I could wish for companionship," he said. He looked at Derek, Nova, and little Shiro sleeping cuddled up together and he smiled a rueful smile. "Funny, isn't it? My commanding officer's sleeping there, yet I think of him as a kid brother."

"Due to Alex?"

"Well, yes," said Steve. "When I saw Alex on Iscandar again in 2200, he made me swear to keep an eye on his little brother. I've been trying to do that ever since with both him…and Nova. But, they both have a habit of getting into trouble, the pair of them. They'd better stay together, those two. They need each other so much."

"Are you worried about them?"

"Not that they'll break up. What I'm afraid of is that one of them will get him or herself killed in action. Derek's so headstrong. And, as for Nova…she's the most devoted, stubborn, headstrong damn girl I've ever met."

"Oh. I thought _I_ was," said Aliscea.

"She's been in danger a lot, too," said Sandor. He had found a tablet of paper and a stub of pencil and seemed to be sketching something. _Probably some technical plan in his head,_ thought Aliscea. "She nearly died turning on the Cosmo-DNA machine when we reached Earth from Iscandar in 2200. I tried to stop her from sacrificing herself, but I couldn't. The other time was when she threw herself between Wildstar and Desslok on his flagship to protect Derek after he had passed out from a lack of blood. Then, after aiming the gun at Desslok, she cared for him. That made Desslok change his mind about finishing his vendetta against us for devastating Gamilon by killing Derek. I was so glad to see Nova and Wildstar get married. They belong together."

"They sure do. Look at them hugging that boy in their sleep. That's so cute."

"Yes, I think they'll make great parents when the time comes; and Derek will make a great Flag Officer, and Nova will be a good doctor. They'll be taking on a lot, doing that with a family…"

"Is she pregnant?"

Sandor laughed. "You should know, Aliscea. Not as far as I know."

Aliscea reached out with her power for a minute. Her form glowed softly in the dim light as she did so…Sandor thought the effect looked quite beautiful.

Aliscea tiptoed over, touching Nova's stomach as she slept. "No, she's not pregnant. But I can feel a pregnancy in her future in a few years. Same as for me," she said softly while touching her own abdomen.

"How much of the future have you seen, Aliscea?"

"Much. But it shifts all the time. Predicting the future is one messy business. Unless you're God, that is. And I'm not."

"Aliscea, do we defeat Ekogaru?" asked Paul as he sat up.

She just sat in silence for a minute. Then, she murmured, "Paul! Are you okay?"

"Sleepy. What about the war? What about our beating Ekogaru?"

"I can't tell," said Aliscea. "I feel Ekogaru changing. Mutating. I see him growing different. I see a lot of fighting, and I feel Yvona connected with this. But I don't see how. She's dead."

"Can you foresee the end of the war?" asked Paul.

Aliscea shook her head. "No, I can't."

Sandor worked with his pencil and paper, smiling as he made his drawing.

It was a drawing of Derek, Nova, and their little friend, cuddled up together, half-asleep.

* * *

Time passed. Nova and Derek fell asleep again in the broiling desert cruiser as Sandor sketched them.

When Nova woke up some time later, she found she was lying in a different position, and that the inside of the ship was _much_ cooler. She also found her tattered dress was gone. _Who changed my clothes in my sleep?_ Nova thought. She looked down at her apparel. She still wore Derek's Star Force shirt which was now fully closed, with brown suede sandals that felt somewhat like the ones she had lost in the city. She lifted the hem of the shirt she wore, and found that someone… _Derek, I hope_, she thought with a blush… had tied some sort of loincloth over her crotch and bottom to give her some more covering.

She looked at Derek. He again wore his uniform, save, of course, for his shirt. Even little Shiro had on a rough tunic on some kind.

"What's going on, Derek?" Nova asked while yawning.

"It's been a few hours. They fixed the climate system, and Hemmertz advised us to get dressed again."

"Where'd you find my shoes and underwear?"

"They were thanks to Hemmertz. He found some of his wife's things here on the tank."

"Good thing," murmured Nova.

Derek looked at Aliscea. She was pulling on Paul's shirt over her tattered dress..

"Sorry," she said. "Getting cold."

The cruiser suddenly stopped. Then, there were explosions. Nova yelped, cuddling against her husband.

"What's going on?" cried Captain Wildstar when Hemmertz ran in.

"We're under attack thanks to some R'Khell fighter-bombers," said Hemmertz. "And our gun decks are undermanned. Which one of you can operate a 40-mm anti-aircraft gun?"

Derek raised his hand, followed by Rosstowski. A moment later, Nova raised her hand.

"Good," said Hemmertz.

"Nova, you don't know how to fire an anti-aircraft pulse laser!" yelled Derek.

"Yes I do, Derek! I received some training in operating an anti-aircraft mount in my ROTC training, Officer Basic, and in flight school in December. I took a flight in a Tiger in the aft ball turret and took some target practice. Everyone had to. Remember?"

"But it's dangerous!"

"It'll be worse if we don't live through this!" she shot back.

"Okay," said Derek as the hovertank shook. "Join the party."

"I should come too," said Aliscea.

"Okay. But Shiro needs looking after," said Nova as she hastily tied on an orange leather belt to keep her shirt cinched at her stomach. She had found two pairs of combat gloves and she threw Derek a pair. "And what if we fall under psychic attack? Who'll defend us against that? Me?"

"Good point," said Aliscea. "See you later."

* * *

The hovertank's starboard gun deck was a semi-open air deck that looked a little like one of the _Argo's_ pulse laser gun decks. The 40-mm mounts were reached via small ladders, and they were enclosed twin ball turrets like some of the Argo's small gunhouses.

Nova ran to a gun mount as fast as she could, followed by Derek, who had found something like sweatbands to put at his wrists over the gloves Nova had found.

"You think we'll make it through this?" asked Nova as she strapped herself into the seat. _I wish the seat wasn't quite so hot_, she thought to herself. _Without much on, I'm really feeling this residual heat against my thighs._

"You didn't have to volunteer," huffed Derek.

"If we don't make it, I want us to be together if we die," said Nova as she figured out how to turn everything on, curling her toes against the edges of the rotation pedals with suppressed excitement.

"Get ready," said Derek a moment later. He gazed through his sight. "Here they come! Remember to lead the enemy planes with your sight!"

"Right!"

A moment later, he and Nova were both firing like maniacs as the enemy planes in red came in over the burning orange desert sands outside. They had to stare hard; it was getting close to dusk on Rikasha, and the planes were a little hard to see against the dark sky, although the electronic target scope windows in their gunsights helped.

_Good rate of fire,_ thought Derek as he smiled at the past buzz of the Rikashan AA gun.

"Got one!" cried Nova with a smile.

"Good. Don't get cocky!" smiled Derek.

* * *

Paul Rosstowski took his place in the turret after shaking his long sideburns into place. He considered the turret with his piercing dark brown eyes for a moment. _Just like one on the _Argo, he thought as he looked around the gunhouse while putting his booted feet on the electric rotation control pedals. Some Rikashan sat down beside him and gave him a thumbs-up.

_Haven't done this in months…hope I haven't lost the touch after being up in Officers' Country,_ he thought.

_Are you all right?_ Aliscea sent into his mind.

_Fine,_ he sent back. _Never been better.__ Here they come! Gotta go!_

Paul began to fire a moment later, wincing at a near-miss on the side of the Rikashan Desert Cruiser they were in. He closed his eyes a moment later as a nearby dark grey cruiser in what seemed to be a squadron of these hovertanks blew up.

"I hope we don't die!" he yelled out.

His turretmate, a very tall Rikashan with no shirt, yelled back, "We will go to a warriors' heaven if we lose! And I will be happy. Those R'Khell scum killed my family in one of their Inquisitions. Bastards! _V'ranni'chand_! I hope they all die!"

"We've suffered too," yelled Paul.

"For our part, we are sorry," said the Rikashan. "You make better allies than the priests. You are honest and do not hesitate to do the dirty work!"

"Mustangs like me tend to act that way."

"You mean you are a horse?"

"Never mind, I'll explain later," said Paul. "I came up through the enlisted ranks of my military."

"FIRE!" yelled the Rikashan.

Both men fought on, glad that they were allies supporting each other in battle in this turret.

* * *

For Derek and Nova, the battle continued.

However, after bringing down another plane, Derek's eyes went wide as a dark blue fighter plane suddenly phased in behind one of the enemy ships in a flash of light.

"What?" said Derek.

"Derek, someone's using the Gamilon instant transport mechanism!"

"_Gamilons!_" said Derek as he stared at two fighter-bombers as they phased in. "But what are they doing here on Rikasha? Desslok's fleet is supposed to be halfway to the Great Magellenic Cloud!"

The answer came a moment later as the blue Gamilon "Stuka" fired upon the red R'Khell fighter-bomber and then waggled its wings at the hovertanks before flying off.

"Looks like they're helping out!" cried Nova.

"You're restating the obvious."

"Silly!"

"Well, Nova, help is help. Careful you don't hit them."

"Right!"

At that, she smiled and kept on firing, adjusting quickly to her unaccustomed job.

* * *

Before long, the battle was over. Out of ten Desert Cruisers, seven had survived. A while later, the squadron arrived back at the Sherikhan Palace in Cha'rif's home province.

"Well, Wildstar?" said Venture as they met a while later in Cha'rif's palace.

"What I'd love to know is what the Gamilons are doing here," said Derek as he wiped his brow. He was still clad in his uniform pants, boots, and undershirt. "Did you find out where their fleet came from?"

"No, we didn't. Are Sandor and the others all right?"

"They are."

"Where's Nova?"

"She went off into one of Baroness Mikala's rooms to freshen up. She took the little boy with her."

Derek knew that Nova was going to help care for Shiro for a bit; however, they had asked Anton and Mikala about the boy, and they had agreed to take him in and raise him as a member of their Royal House along with their own son. So, now, ironically, the one who was fourth in line now for the throne of the exotic Rikashan Empire was a boy from Earth!

A moment later, Sandor came in, clad in a fresh uniform.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Derek.

"Aliscea must've done some talking or something. I found fresh stuff for all of us upstairs in Mikala's apartments."

"I'd still love to know where those Gamilons came from. Venture, did you or Eager spot their fleet?"

"No, we didn't."

A Rikashan servant girl in a short white dress and sandals like the sort Nova had worn to Rikala came in. "Excuse me, Captain Wildstar. Your wife desires your presence upstairs. "

"Now?" said Derek. "But I'm planning strategy…"

"She has asked for you. Please follow me," said the girl as she grabbed Wildstar by the arm.

* * *

In the meantime, in space, Lieutenant Denise Carroway sat on the bridge of her new gunboat, the _Dragon_. She had turned in the battered _Valkyrie_ for repairs at Brumus on April 18th, and was now skipper of this newer gunboat, which she had assumed command of on the 18th at Brumus…then warping back out to meet with the _Bolivia _again.

"So where are we going?" asked Carroway.

On the screen, Captain Peronada smiled. "We have been travelling for some time. Desslok would like us to aid some of our friends."

"Where?"

"You shall find out," said Peronada. "I will soon send the coordinates."

"Yessir!"

* * *

**II. MORE UNEXPECTED MEETINGS **

**Planet Rikasha**

**The Sherikhan Fortress **

**24 Ets'ien: Warbringer's Year 3219**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**1327 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

Derek found Nova undressed again. However, there wasn't anything particularly passionate about it (except in a rather cute sense). She was sitting in an in-floor bathtub full of bubbles washing Shiro and Ar'ten Cha'rif as if she was their mother; only her shoulders showed above the water and bubbles.

"Well, you have a lot of talents," Derek grinned. "From operating a pulse laser to scrubbing a little boy's back?"

"You learn this stuff when you have a ton of younger cousins," said Nova. "You look like a mess. Join us."

"We have to get back to the ship soon."

"I know that. I had IQ-9 bring my uniform. It's over there along with one for you."

"IQ-9 saw you in the tub?"

"Well, you can't see much with me covered with bubbles," she laughed.

Mikala Cha'rif came in a moment later, followed by IQ-9.

"Nice job, Nova. Captain, I just got here. Lord Cha'rif is on his way. I understand you were in battle?"

"We were," said Derek. "Do you know where the Gamilons came from?"

"No. Anton might know. As for Shiro Matsuya in there, you know Anton and I have agreed he'll be raised with Ar'ten. She smiled at the two boys splashing each other and Nova in the tub. "They seem to get along well. Nova told me you were an orphan."

"Yeah," said Derek. "But no one took me in after my parents were killed. My only brother couldn't since he was in the Earth military then. I grew up in an orphanage until I entered the Academy."

"You poor boy," said Mikala softly.

"Don't feel too bad," said Nova as IQ-9 came in. "It's _my_ job to take care of him now. Derek, get _in_ here!"

"Nova…uh…I don't feel too comfortable about undressing in front of another woman."

"So? Mikala can turn her head," said Nova cheerfully as she washed her toes in the bubble bath, singing softly as she did so.

"Captain Wildstar, my olfactory sensors tell me you stink," said IQ-9.

"You be quiet! How can a robot tell that?"

"Captain Wildstar, my sensors can pick up over 25,000 forms of aromatics for analysis. Including human BO! Ha ha!"

"Nova, I've just been told I stink by a robot!"

"Only because you _do_," said Nova as she smiled at him and wrinkled her nose. "IQ-9, grab the Captain, undress him, and put him in here with me."

"IQ," said Derek. "Don't!"

"Captain, Nova has given me a direct order. I have to obey it," said IQ as he came towards Captain Wildstar.

"NO! No!" said Derek as IQ grabbed him. "Nova, help me! GET ME OUT OF THIS!" he said as the robot pulled his undershirt off by force. Then, he began to open his pants. "Nova, help me!"

"Now you know how _I_ feel when he's up to no good," teased Nova as Ar'ten and Shiro squealed with laughter.

Nova looked, watching as IQ undressed him all the way.

"Don't hurt him, IQ."

"Nova, I am ten thousand times more careful than a human when it comes to undressing your husband."

"No you're _not!"_ huffed Nova. "I'm better at that than you are!"

"Demonstrate."

"Not in front of _you_!" Nova sniffed.

A moment later, Derek was tossed into the tub naked as the boys giggled their heads off.

"Derek I thought you told me you liked baths!" said Nova as she grabbed him and began to shampoo his unruly hair.

"In front of family, yes. In front of half the world…no!"

"Oh, boy!" cried Ar'ten. "Lady Nova, can I tickle him?"

Nova smiled and nodded. "Be my guest. He could use some lightening up!"

"_Nova_!"

* * *

About half an hour later (while noticing in an offhanded way that her fingers and toes were getting wrinkled) Nova sat in the still-warm tub telling the children a story. She had some help from Derek, who had finally resigned himself to having some good clean fun with his wife and their temporary brood.

"And, after we left the Beemirans behind," said Nova. "The Gamilons were back with a new way of fighting us."

"What?" said Ar'ten.

"Was this the Balanosaurus?" said Shiro.

"It was," said Derek.

"What's a Balanosaurus?" asked Ar'ten.

"It's a horrible _monster_ made by the Gamilons," said Nova as she made a spooky face. The boys screamed at that.

"How big was it?" said Shiro.

"How many heads did it have?" said Ar'ten.

"It was as big as the _Argo_, and it had only one head," said Derek. "But it was hard to defeat."

"Why?"

"It was because it was made out of other creatures that came together," added Derek. "We finally had to kill it with the wave motion gun…"

"Awwww," said Shiro.

"I like monsters," said Ar'ten.

"But it was a threat to us," said Nova while she washed out one of her ears as she lay reclining in the tub.

"I wonder which Gamilon general came up with such a weird, stupid threat," said Derek.

"It was Volgarr," said a mellifluous voice from behind the door.

The door opened.

"Desslok?" said Derek.

Nova looked at the approaching Gamilon Leader and gasped.

"Desslok!" she said as she sat up. "What are you _doing _here?"

Desslok's eyebrows went up at Nova's exposure. Nova blushed suddenly and disappeared back as far as possible under the suds while making various inarticulate little noises. Talan, Astrena, and EDF Captain Jorge Peronada of the _Bolivia_ followed him in. Lieutenant Denise Carroway, the skipper of the _Dragon_, accompanied them.

Denise grinned at her. "Nova, is he _that_ good?"

"Leader Desslok, they _are_ barbarians, holding staff meetings in the bath," snorted Talan.

"You forget my bath on Gamilon?" said Desslok. "I conducted business with Starsha over the phone in the bath."

"But did you bring the General Staff in with you?" said Talan.

"I apologize for catching you at a bad time, Wildstar…Nova. We shall meet in an hour aboard the _Argo_, if you don't mind."

"Uh…no…we don't," said Derek. He looked at Nova. She nodded, but she was blushing like crazy.

"We will meet you soon," said Desslok. "Gentlemen…?" he said, nodding to the party.

They left. As they left, Denise winked over her shoulder at Nova, who crossed her eyes in annoyance.

"Well?" said Derek. "That solves the mystery of where those Gamilons came from before."

"Where'd they come from?" asked Shiro.

"Nowhere," said Nova. "Now, we need to get out of here. Kids, get out of the water, dry off and get dressed."

"Do we have to?" whined Ar'ten.

Nova nodded. "Want me to tell your Dad?"

"Let's go!" said Shiro. The boys climbed out of the tub and began to dry off.

Derek looked at Nova as she wrapped herself in a towel and then picked up a fresh Star Force uniform. Derek climbed out of the tub, and Nova threw a fresh pair of boxers at him. "Now, are you getting dried off and dressed, or do I have to do it?"

"Should I really answer you?"

"Derek, not in front of the kids," said Nova with an annoyed look while stepping into one of the boots on the one-piece uniform she had been brought.

At that, both boys laughed.

* * *

**III. DASH, HOMER, AND EAGER HAVE A LITTLE MEETING… **

**Planet Rikasha**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Captain's Quarters**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**1422 Hours: Earth Space-time**

**

* * *

**

The _Argo_ was still docked in an underground drydock below the Sherikhan Palace as Homer, Eager, and Dash stood before Captain Wildstar. The Skipper did not look very happy, and neither did Nova.

"Fisher told us everything," said Captain Wildstar. "Now, if this was Rio de Janeiro and we were on liberty, I wouldn't care much, so long as you were back aboard ship on time. Instead, we had to chase you down, make sure you got your inoculations…"

_Yeah, with a dull needle_, thought Dash as he rubbed his behind. Nova smiled a little at that sight. She was the one who had made sure that an older, autoclavable and reusable needle set was used for this trio when they finally got their shots.

"But, we're on an alien planet in what was enemy territory last night," said Derek. "And this is wartime. Really, guys, you could have waited until me made the Megalopolis to get Homer initiated into the mysteries of manhood."

"_So-called_," said Nova.

"I heard scuttlebutt that you and Nova were found in a hot tub earlier," said Eager. "What were you up to, sir?"

"Cleaning ourselves and two dirty children at the request of the Baroness," said Nova. "If Derek and I had wanted to do _that_ in a tub, we could have waited until…"

"What's it like in a tub?" said Homer with an evil grin. "Bet it gets rid of your cooties."

Nova crossed her eyes and made two tight fists behind her back. "Guys," she hissed. "This is _serious_."

"You know," said Derek. "I could put you guys in the brig for this."

"Okay," said Dash.

"But I won't. Unfortunately, I need you on the bridge. Thus, you lose two weeks' worth of pay and allowances so you won't be quite so rich when we get home," said Captain Wildstar, "And, you will do some punitive PT on a morning run when we have time."

"That ain't so bad, sir," said Eager.

"You will do this run of calisthenics and running in your underwear," said Captain Wildstar.

"Okay, that isn't half-bad," said Dash. "You get sweaty doing PT."

"When this takes place, Nova will be your drillmaster," said Captain Wildstar.

"Will she be in her underwear, too?" said Eager.

Nova rolled up her eyes at that one. "God, something must have happened to their brains," she said. "Just for that, we'll do two sessions."

"When?" said Dash.

"Whenever she _feels_ like it," said Captain Wildstar. "Dismissed. And don't let me hear of you or anyone else on this vessel exploring the Lord Cha'rif's harem again."

"Lord Cha'rif?" said Homer as he gulped.

"Yes. If we had told him," said Captain Wildstar, "I think the penalty is…being boiled alive in oil. Or being beheaded slowly. I don't remember which one it is. And I'm not gonna cover for you jokers again. Got that?"

"YESSIR!" bellowed Eager, Dash, and Homer. They saluted very smartly, snapped to attention and waited.

"See you on duty later," said Derek. "Dismissed."

Homer, Eager and Dash got out of there in a hurry.

"So, when are you going to run them, Nova?"

Nova smiled. "When we have time, I'll start them at…say, 0330. I hope you won't miss me too much, _koibito_…"

"I'll try not to," said Derek as he gave Nova a nice, long kiss. "Now, we have things to do."

"Like that meeting?" said Nova.

"Yes…"

* * *

Later on, aboard the _Argo_, a staff meeting was in progress.

"So, _that's_ what happened?" asked Captain Wildstar as he sat at the table of the smaller staff briefing room in the _Argo's_ bridge tower, back in his uniform and black Captain's jacket. He, Venture, Sandor, Dr. Sane, Conroy, Rosstowski, and Aliscea sat at the table with Desslok, Talan, Astrena, two Gamilon officers known as Fraken and Frausky, and Captains Peronada and Carroway. Of course, Aliscea wore her black clothing again, as usual. Nova was the only major officer absent, but she was on her way up with refreshments

"That is correct," said Desslok. "It appears that Aliscea spoke mentally to her mother Astrena, and she let me know what was happening about two of your days ago. We made our way here as rapidly as possible."

"We met them on their way towards our Galaxy," said Captain Peronada. "After notifying Defense Command, I received permission to follow the Gamilons, since we had information about Rikashan and Cometine Fleet dispositions we needed to share with you. It appears that the Cometines are also active again. Two more Cometine squadrons attacked us on our way to meet Desslok after the truce we made with the Cometines at Procyon. Desslok advised us to keep radio silence as we drew closer to Rikasha so we weren't spotted by the R'Khells."

"The R'Khells have allied with the Bolar Federation, which Rikasha has recently dominated," said Desslok. "As far as we can understand, about a third of the Rikashan Empire is dominated by the R'Khells. As we have just learned, they have declared independence, claiming that they are the true leaders of the Rikashan people. A civil war is beginning, and our side and Cha'rif's Rikashans are the enemies of the R'Khells and Bolars."

"That doesn't sound good," said Derek. "Now we might be at war on three fronts, against the Technomugar, R'Khell, _and_ the Cometines."

"We made sure Earth knows about this. Poor Singleton," said Captain Denise Carroway of the _Valkyrie_. "I bet he'll want to retire and play golf after this crisis is over."

"Did you tell them we still live?" asked Sandor.

"No," said Carroway "Captain Peronada said that we couldn't let anyone know that you might be on your way back."

"Wise decision," said Sandor. Derek nodded at that.

"Did you meet resistance at the borders of the Rikashan Empire?" asked Venture.

"We did," said Talan. "It was less than we expected, though. As I have taught Desslok in the past, when you meet less resistance than expected at a given point in battle, anticipate a plot…or changes on the enemy side."

"As we met only R'Khells," said Desslok. "I thought it was necessary to take prisoners. We took a prisoner, and after due interrogation…"

"…Torture," added Astrena, who was now very heavily and visibly pregnant. The gestation rate of a Pellian was different (and faster) than that of a human.

"…Interrogation," repeated Desslok. "After we interrogated him with our most efficient methods, we discovered that there was a change of government in progress on Rikasha and that you were in the middle of it. We headed to Rikasha after finding no trace of the Technomugar Fortress where Aliscea had said it would be."

"Where is it?" asked Captain Wildstar.

"I do _not_ know," said Desslok with deadly emphasis. "At any rate, at Astrena's request, I feel our mission is to help the Rikashans escort you out of their space. Then, we must part company for a short time."

"Why?"

"Captain Wildstar," began Desslok. However, they stopped when a tap came at the hatch from outside. "Permission to enter with the coffee?" asked Nova.

"Granted!" yelled Derek.

The door whirred open, and Nova came in with a cart filled with hot, steaming coffee, snacks, and assorted juices.

"Who wants some?" Nova said.

"This looks interesting," said Desslok.

"I'd pass," said Aliscea.

Nova loudly cleared her throat. "Who would like to try some?"

Desslok came up. "I believe I would."

"Uh…" said Nova. "I'm not so sure it's a good…"

Desslok ignored her. He poured some coffee and said, "I don't care for any embellishments, thank you. I take it straight."

Nova looked at Derek with an alarmed expression as Desslok sipped at the coffee.

"Interesting beverage," he said after a moment, smiling an ironic smile. "Talan, would you try some?"

Talan took some and drank it. He made a face, and gave Nova a very strange look, but he just sat down with his coffee. Fraken and Frausky also drank.

Fraken shrugged.

"I am now in command of the battle-carrier _Farushar_," he said. "We found it here in Rikashan space on a base after Cha'rif brought it into his territory. It is being refurbished and repainted by the Rikashans to help make up for their evil in capturing her, and some Gamilons held prisoner aboard the ship have been freed. The ship's commander, a General Kelzart, was a traitor who surrendered to the Rikashans. Under interrogation, he revealed details of a plot on Earth involving your General Weiner and a government official known as Piper Sandberg."

"Them?" hissed Derek. "It figures. What did they do?"

"They have been helping the Josiahite cult subvert your world," said Talan. "When you arrive home, you must let your government know about this."

"What did you do to Kelzart?" asked Derek.

"I tried him and I am about to pronounce the verdict," said Desslok. "If you would come aboard my ship for a short time after this meeting as witnesses after we leave Rikasha?"

Derek nodded.

"Now for the reason I am here," said Frausky as he stood. "I am General Frausky, head of the Gamilon _Scientifikat_, or Science Bureau, in your tongue. I have lent assistance to the Earth ships so that they could tune their engines and follow us here at the same warp rate and same warp span as our ships. May I do the same with the _Argo_?"

"Sandor, did you look at their calculations?"

"I did, Wildstar. They're sound."

"Good," said Derek. "General, how long will this take?"

"About three of your hours. The modifications include upgrades to your computer software and firmware."

"Very good," said Wildstar. "Sandor, you and Nova are to assist General Frausky in his work. You two know the computer system very well, and now that Royster isn't alive any longer, you would be the best people for the job."

"Yessir," they said as both of them stood and saluted.

"Venture, you and Yamazaki are to get the ship ready for takeoff. Conroy, stand by to launch the Black Tigers at a moment's notice. I think we'll need fighter cover until we get away from Rikasha."

"Yessir," said Conroy.

"Doctor Sane, prepare for casualties," said Wildstar. "Leader Desslok, you have received a copy of the technical information that Cha'rif and the dissident Technomugars gave us about the Technomugar Fortress and Rikashan attack plans?"

"Yes, I have. My strategists are now analyzing it."

"Then I shall consider this meting adjourned," said Wildstar. "Desslok, we will meet again once we leave the Rikashan Empire."

"Of course."

At that, Derek nodded, and the Terrans saluted and began to leave.

* * *

**IV. AN ESCAPE **

**Planet Rikasha**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**1645 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

Some hours later, after Captain Wildstar had doffed his peacoat, he found Nova working hard in the main computer room with Sandor and Frausky.

"We've got a problem," said Nova as she bent over a terminal in a corner of the large computer room.

"What is it?"

"Steve would tell you, but he would take a book to explain it. I'll do it in a paragraph."

"Shoot."

"The subroutine that links to the engine has been damaged in flight. We've had to fix that, first, then begin tweaking it so that the whole computer will work better. We'll be getting home on a wing and a prayer, Derek. That is…if we don't fly into the Fourth Dimension and really lose the ship…"

"Oh, crap…"

Sandor came up with Frausky. "Nova just told you, huh?"

Derek nodded. "Sandor, can we get this to work?"

"It'll be hard, but I can guarantee only about an 88 chance this'll work as planned," said Sandor. "The _Argo's_ engines are held together with jury-rigged arrangements. She'll need dockyard time when we get home."

Frausky shook his head in awe. "How did you hold this ship together? It's a wonder she's…running."

"It's our spirit," said Wildstar. "I can't define it better than that."

"It's almost supernatural, somehow," mused Frausky. "Anyway, we shall do our best."

"Thanks. Good luck, guys…and gal," laughed Derek.

Nova just smiled at Derek. "I'm working hard because I want to get home to our beach, Derek. I miss home."

"I know. So do I. Good luck, everyone."

* * *

**The Tokyo Megalopolis**

**1720 Hours**

As the Star Force worked hard to get home, the people of Earth still believed that the _Argo_ was lost.

Jordy Venture hadn't gone to school that day because of the bad news that had hit the airwaves early that morning. His parents tried to spare him the footage of the _Argo's_ "destruction", but he hadn't been able to escape the fact that his big brother was dead. When Samuel Josiah had showed up at the house around 0600 that morning, it was soon clear what had happened.

Now, a depressed Jordy was in a park near his parents' apartment building, kicking a soccer ball around in a desultory fashion.

_Mark and I used to love doing this,_ he thought_. Now, it's just me. But I don't care what my parents say…I want to join the Earth Defense Forces…so I can avenge my big brother! I'm going to, even if I have to run away from home to do it!_

Tears ran down his face as he kicked an imaginary goal between two trees. "There we go," he said out loud. "That's goal!"

Then, three kids he didn't like showed up. Namely…Dorset, Moriyama, and Rowe. These three boys had been bugging and bullying him for years.

"Hey, Venture!" yelled Dorset.

"I don't wanna talk to you," said Jordy.

"We know why you didn't go to school today. We saw it on the news," said Moriyama.

"Yeah," said Rowe. "And we're really sorry!"

"Really?" said Jordy.

"Yeah! We're sorry that you weren't on that old hunk of junk with your big brother," said Dorset as the other boys snickered.

"What was your big brother doing when he died?" Moriyama yelled. "Getting kinky with Wildstar?"

As Jordy's face contorted with rage, the three boys began to chant, "Your big brother is a crispy critter! Your big brother is a crispy critter! He's all burned up! And the _Argo's_ never coming home again!"

Then, they started throwing rocks at Jordy, after kicking away his soccer ball and laughing amongst themselves.

Jordy ran home under a hail of stones, some of which hit him in the back.

_You rotten guys!_ thought Jordy through his tears. _Just wait until I get you in a fair fight! Just wait!_

* * *

In the _Argo's_ computer room, Sandor had summoned the Captain and Yamazaki down to have a look at the readings.

"We're_ finally _done," he said as the Captain, Nova, Yamazaki, and Eager stared at a display.

"Those figures look right," said Yamazaki.

"I think this'll work," said Wildstar. "Yamazaki, where's Dash?"

"Still checking over the main turrets like you ordered," said Yamazaki.

"If we're done, I believe I can leave now?" asked Frausky.

"Thank you for your help, General," said Captain Wildstar.

"Good luck," said Frausky as he left.

Derek went over to a panel and tapped a button. The intership mike came up. "Attention all hands…attention all hands. Our repairs are completed! All hands to battle stations! At 1800 hours, we are leaving Rikasha. Our destination…Earth! That will be all!"

Finally, it was 1800 hours.

When Captain Wildstar arrived on the bridge, Rosstowski turned and said, "Captain, there's a problem with the Number One Turret. Dash has requested permission to work on it during takeoff. He says we might need it."

"Permission granted," said Wildstar. Derek then sat down in the Combat Group Leader's station next to Venture.

"Looks like this is it," said Mark.

"Yeah, sure looks like it…barring any accidents, that is. Or battles."

"Captain," said Homer. "I've just received a report from the Gamilons. The _Farushar_ will be at our port side escorting us, and the _Bolivia_ will be at our starboard side."

"Great," said Wildstar.

A voice came on the intership speakers. "Wildstar, this is Conroy. We're ready to launch as soon as we make the atmosphere to provide fighter cover for the ship."

"Acknowledged," said Derek.

"Captain, there's a message from Lord Cha'rif," said Homer a minute later as Yamazaki turned on the auxiliary engines. The Rikashan drydock was now beginning to flood for their departure.

"Read it," said Wildstar.

_Our best wishes to you and Earth. I will continue to do what I can to stop the R'Khell insurrection. It is my hope that when we meet again, we will be at peace. Yours, Lord Anton Cha'rif, Sublime Lord of Rikasha._

"Send our thanks, Homer."

"Port and starboard boosters are balancing well. Auxiliary engines at full power," said Yamazaki.

"Wildstar, the dock is full," said Sandor.

Derek nodded. "Venture, take us out…slow speed ahead."

"Auxiliary engines, slow speed," repeated Venture.

The _Argo_ began to move majestically out of the Rikashan dock, making headway towards a huge, stagnant lake somewhat like the Dead Sea on Earth.

_I like Cha'rif,_ thought Derek. _But, still, I'll be damn glad to leave this particular planet. We have work to do._

Finally, the ship moved out into the middle of the Sherikhan Dead Sea, followed by the _Bolivia_, the _Farushar_, and the _Dragon_, along with six smaller Gamilon destroyers. The plan was to meet the rest of Desslok's fleet in orbit.

A few minutes passed. "Main engines at 120!" said Yamazaki.

"_Argo_, ascend," said Wildstar.

"Taking off!" said Venture.

The _Argo_ blasted up out of the salt water a moment later, her wings spreading as she blasted off into the magnificent Rikashan sunset and the strong sunlight gleamed off her hull. For a moment, the city of Sherikhan was spread out below them like a set of toy buildings that looked oddly like an old Biblical city as the dying sunlight shone off the sandstone buildings. Then, the city disappeared below some scanty clouds as the _Argo _gained altitude.

"Launch Black Tigers!" ordered Wildstar.

"On our way!" responded Conroy from his cockpit. "All squadrons, take off!"

Soon, the _Argo_ was surrounded by a heavy fighter screen, just as the shiny red _Farushar_, next to them, was surrounded by Gamilon fighters in blue and green that roared up off her flight deck under Fraken's command. A total of one hundred and twenty Earth and Gamilon fighters surrounded the small task force, flying weaving, complex patterns around it as the small task force left Rikasha's atmosphere, heading into space.

The flight into Rikasha's orbital space took half an hour. It was very tense. The crew was expecting an attack any minute as the reddish-orange surface of Rikasha spread itself out like a great arc in the _Argo's_ bridge windows as the ship left the planet's atmosphere.

"Any contacts?" asked Wildstar.

"None…so far," said Conroy.

"Good. I guess no news is good news here," said Wildstar, who still felt very uneasy.

"The Gamilon Fleet is coming up on radar," said Nova. "Range, two thousand megameters. We'll be under their escort cover in two minutes."

"Is that warp course laid in?" asked Wildstar.

"It is," said Venture. "When we get far away enough from Rikasha, we're set to warp thirty thousand lightyears to an edge of Rikashan territorial space as close to the galactic center as we can get. Then, after a second warp of twenty thousand lightyears, we'll be emerging from warp not far from where Planet Garuman was before the Rikashans and Bolars destroyed it. That area is neutral space…Cha'rif said that his fleets have just driven the R'Khells out of the area."

"Then?" asked Eager.

"Then we'll part company with Desslok's fleet, and we and Fraken's task group will warp to the last known location of the Technomugar Fortress so that Aliscea can try to find out where Ekogaru is. Then, if all goes well, we make one last warp…for home," said Wildstar.

"We're at our benchmark now," reported Nova.

"Black Tigers, return to the ship," said Derek.

The Tigers began to roar back towards the _Argo,_ coming back in quickly in a very organized formation as plane after plane landed after a short patrol flight.

_We didn't get a single thing,_ thought Hardy as he landed. _Where's the enemy?_

_No action…_ thought Bryan Hartcliffe as he stopped his plane. _Still, I guess no bloody news is good news on a day like today._

Another ten minutes passed.

From her post, Nova reported, "The Gamilon Fleet is now in its screening position, and we are now twenty thousand megameters away from Rikasha. We 're nearing our warp point."

"All hands, make preparations for space warp," said Captain Wildstar.

The rest of the Fleet assumed formation around the _Gamilstadt_, Desslok's blue flagship.

"All hands," said Wildstar a moment later. "You must assume position for a very long, stressful space warp. We are about to attempt a single jump of thirty thousand lightyears to clear Rikashan territorial space; the longest single warp that the _Argo _has ever made. There is a possibility, although slight, that there may be a malfunction, and we may never come out of warp. So, I advise you to make whatever personal preparations that you feel are needed as you lock in for warp."

Five more minutes passed. The crew was all strapped in for the warp. Everyone was ready.

"Two minutes to warp!" said Venture.

"No!" said Nova. "Radar contacts, off the starboard bow at five thousand megameters! It's a R'Khell fleet!"

"Damn," said Wildstar. "What a time to try to get us."

"We can't abort the warp countdown," said Venture. He brought up a view of the screen and watched several Gamilon destroyers turning their guns towards the enemy fleet. "We're just gonna have to depend upon our escorts and our speed."

"That's what I was afraid of," said Wildstar. He sat with his fingers clenching into a fist in anger and tension.

"One minute to warp," said Venture.

"Missiles approachin'!" yelled Eager. "Range, a thousand megameters and closing!"

"Thirty seconds to warp!" snapped Venture.

_C'mon,_ thought Derek. _Venture,_ _I hope we can outrun those missiles!_

"There's a second fleet approaching the R'Khells behind their fleet," cried Nova. "I can't get a clear visual on them, but…"

"Nova, we can't bother with enemy fleets right now," said Wildstar as Eager yelled "The missiles are at one hundred megameters now!"

Wildstar said, "We're about to warp!"

Not far away, the Gamilon destroyers let loose a barrage of pink laser fire which quickly stopped. Some of the missiles were destroyed, others were still coming.

"Ten seconds to warp!" said Venture. "Nine…eight.."

"Missiles at fifty thousand kilometers," said Eager. "A spread o' ten, headin' right for us."

"seven…six.."

"Derek, the second fleet is attacking the R'Khells. It's the Rikashans!" cried Nova.

"Good."

"five…four.." said Venture as he tensed his hand on the warp lever.

"Missiles at five thousand now!" yelled Eager.

"three…two…one," said Venture. "Zero!"

":WARP!" ordered Wildstar.

"Warp!" repeated Venture as the missiles sped in.

They didn't hit anything at all. The _Argo_, the other Earth ships, and the Gamilon fleet all disappeared in a wavering explosion of light and color as they oozed into hyperspace.

* * *

"DAMN!" yelled Lecha Voton aboard the lead R'Khell space battleship, a red vessel known as the _P'Cherda_. "We didn't get them! _Fools_!"

"You told me you had them," screamed Marda.

"I thought I did…even Gamilons are helpless when they're about to warp!"

"You said you would have wiped out that whole fleet with one blow!" yelled Marda.

"I would have! If only they would have delayed for a second…two seconds…"

"Ekogaru will not be happy!"

"Rikashan Grand Fleet approaching!" said their radar officer. "A message is coming in on visual from Lord Cha'rif."

"Put it up!"

Anton Cha'rif's face appeared on the _P'Cherda's_ screen a moment later. "We are at peace with Earth, Voton. You people are rebels and renegades, traitors to my Lordship, and heretics, since I have declared the worship of Ekogaru illegal and have declared an end to the Warbringer's era on our calendar. Ekogaru's day of oppression has finally ended for us! Turn about and surrender at once, or I will be forced to wipe you out. I have already taken out some of your escorts!"

"Never," said Voton.

"Very well, I hope you are prepared to die," said Cha'rif. "All ships, transfer energy to DI'ATS cannons! You'll be dead in a few seconds unless you heave to _now_!"

"We'll tell Ekogaru you attacked me," said Marda. "That'll mean the worst sort of death possible for you, Cha'rif, after Earth is destroyed!"

"Prepare to fire!" yelled Cha'rif as his handgrips came up.

"Eat this!" laughed Voton. He made a hand signal, and just as Cha'rif's fleet fired, the R'Khells sped into warp themselves.

"We didn't get them, sire!" cried a crewman on Cha'rif's bridge.

"Don't you think I _know that_?" hissed Lord Cha'rif "Order a search for them throughout the Empire! I want those rebels _dead_!"

* * *

For Nova, the space warp was long, bizarre, and very nauseating. Her stomach roiled. Finally there was a very wild burst of colors, and a sense of utter dislocation as the familiar confines of the First Bridge began to fade back in and reappear over the characteristic humming.

"Right on target," said Venture as he looked at his instruments as soon as they solidified before his eyes. "We are now thirty thousand lightyears away from Rikasha."

"Thank God," muttered Derek, who felt as if he wanted to vomit.

"Lay back…rest," muttered Sandor, whose chest was heaving with effort. "That was the worst one we've ever been through! But, we made it. No damage to the ship or systems."

"And…the Gamilon Fleet is…right around us…right where they should be," said Nova. She stood up, but her legs were as wobbly as a newborn fawn's. She fell right to the deck.

"Nova!" cried Derek. He got up, and stumbled to her side, because he felt very wobbly, as well. _If I move the wrong way, I might puke_, he thought. _This warp was worse than the worst aerobatic run I can think of…or the worst amusement park ride I've ever been on._

"I'll be fine," she said, sighing with effort as Derek helped her to her feet. "I think…"

Then, her stomach cramped. Luckily, she was able to crawl back to her post and get a barf bag. A moment later, she had need of it.

Derek turned his head as his wife coughed and heaved. Sandor and Eager came up a minute later, just as Nova was closing the bag and wiping her mouth.

"Are you okay?" said Sandor.

Nova nodded.

"Good. Ah think ah need that," said Eager.

"Get your own!" said Nova with an annoyed look as she discarded her bag in a waste chute nearby.

Homer rolled up his eyes as Eager found a bag, and was very noisy about what he had to do.

"We need a better way of doing this, Wildstar," said Sandor, just as Derek stumbled to his knees again.

"Yeah…you're telling me," he said as Nova helped him up.

* * *

"Don't feel bad, Nova," said Doctor Sane about twenty minutes later as he made Nova drink some "spring water" in his office. She had come down to assist with first aid for the warp sickness rampant on the ship, but after Sane had seen her white face, he had ordered her to just sit in his office. "The human body can only take so much, and that warp was really pushing it."

"But we set a new record," said Nova as she drank. The drink went to her head, but it _did_ seem to be helping her stomach, oddly enough. "Now I can walk without the bulkheads waving around. Thanks. How many warp casualties?"

"Twenty-five," said Sane. "And don't feel so bad," chuckled Sane as he took back his bottle and poured himself a very stiff drink. "

"I can't help it!"

"Why?"

"Well, warping…uh…it has a certain effect upon your clothes as well as upon your physical body and psyche. You know what I mean," said Nova with a blush.

"I know! I came out of one warp with just my underwear on," said Sane brightly.

"Once, when we had to do a warp on the first mission to Iscandar, and I was asleep…"

"Yes?" said Sane.

Nova really blushed at that memory. "You remember that pink negligee I had?"

Sane nodded.

"I think it's still off in hyperspace somewhere around Balan. Along with a pair of panties. It was on our way home from Iscandar, and I was dozing off…and when we came out of that one, I found I was sleeping nude…and…"

"And what?"

"I won't tell you," said Nova. "But I told Derek all about it once. The aftereffects of that warp had him laughing his head off!"

"Attention, all hands," said Venture over the PA. "The Captain thanks you for your professionalism during the last warp. However, we must make preparations for a second one at 1930. At 1930, we are warping out of Rikashan space. Be ready for another warp. Repair and readjust any necessary systems. That will be all."

"Well," said Sane. "Looks like I'll need more of this stuff soon."

"Yeah," sighed Nova.

* * *

**V. WINDING DOWN… **

**The Galactic Center**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Wednesday, April 21, 2202**

**2000 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

Some time later, the _Argo_ and the Gamilon Fleet were cruising near the asteroid belt that had once been Planet Garuman, the ancestral homeland of the Gamilon people.

The _Farushar_ sat right near the _Argo._

Aboard the red Gamilon battle-carrier, a meeting was about to commence on her main bridge.

Nova had survived the second space warp in fairly good shape. Now, she stood beside Derek, Sandor, and Aliscea on the _Farushar's_ bridge as a Gamilon woman in an officer's uniform stood pointing her finger at a mustachioed Gamilon officer in handcuffs at the center of the bridge. Not far away stood Desslok, Talan, Fraken, and Frausky.

"This is what I, Commander Inge Gernan, declare about this man, the former General Hairm Kelzart," said the dark-haired, stunning Gamilon woman. "This man is a traitor to our cause, and a traitor to Leader Desslok. Like a traitor, he has fought actively against our allies, lent aid and comfort to our enemies, and has ordered his compatriots, the crew of this ship, to endure interrogation and torture! You note my eyepatch?" she asked, pointing at an eyepatch that had not been on her face the last time Desslok had seen her. "This resulted because Kelzart personally put my right eye out himself! And he did worse to me, did things I do not care to repeat with delicate alien women present!"

_I can take it, and so can Nova,_ thought Aliscea angrily. _But, I don't wish to make a scene here, not in front of my stepfather. Desslok as my stepfather. That is still a rather interesting thought…_

"For this man, I plead for the maximum penalty," said Gernan. She gritted her teeth and then bowed to Desslok. "That will be all, my Leader."

Desslok nodded once as Gernan went to sit down. He slowly began to walk up towards Kelzart.

"General Kelzart," he said in a low, purring voice. "I have heard much about you. Unfortunately, little of it has been any good as of late. Do you have anything you wish to say in your defense?"

"Leader, grant clemency. A man with demonic powers, whom, I understand, you are now aiding forced me into it. Are not Cha'rif's crimes worse than mine?"

"Do not mention his name in that context," said Desslok. "He was doing what he saw to be his duty at the time. But a man can change when his eyes are opened to what he has truly done. My eyes were once opened myself to our course of action as a people. Cha'rif has changed, just as I have done. On the other hand, you had sworn an oath of loyalty to me. An oath you chose to disregard by allowing yourself to be captured, and then deciding to aid the enemy and torture your shipmates. For that sort of treason and failure, I dismiss you from my command, and proffer the ultimate penalty."

Desslok flipped back his cape and drew his blaster.

"No, no, NO," screamed Kelzart. "Have mercy!"

"Kelzart, you could at least die as a man. Don't botch your own death" said Desslok.

"NO!" said Kelzart as he knelt on the deck. "I'll leave the Fleet, I'll accept exile, I'll…"

Desslok's eyes narrowed, and then his gun went off.

"Leader!" gasped Kelzart as he knelt there with a smoking hole in his stomach. Then, he fell down, kicking, and convulsing as he died.

The Gamilon Leader had to administer a second shot in the back for the _coup de grace._ Finally, Kelzart lay still, and Desslok stood there staring impassively at him as smoke rose up from his weapon.

Not far away, Nova stood with her head buried in Derek's peacoat-clad chest in shock.

"It's all right," whispered Derek. "He had to do it."

"But why did I have to _see_ it?" sobbed Nova.

"Being in my position is not easy,": said Desslok as he came up.

"How often do you _do_ this?" cried Nova. "This is close to making me sick!"

"Not often, luckily. My ranks are not usually filled with traitors. I get no joy out of this vile but necessary duty. For what you had to see today, I apologize." Desslok bowed and then said, "Fraken, please see to it your bridge is cleaned. Don't give that rabid animal any military honors."

"I won't," said Fraken as he saluted. He clapped his hands, and two Gamilon enlisted men in brown armor picked up Kelzart's corpse and carried it off the bridge.

"Now," said Desslok. "We will meet again, after I deal with the Cometines. Together, we will deal with them at Sirius to secure that base before the great wave hits your Earth."

"Yes," said Derek. "We'll meet you again in…five days."

"Good luck, and best wishes," said Desslok as he turned with a snap of his cape and left.

* * *

Later, he, Talan, and Astrena sat dining on his flagship.

"Just as I taught you in the Academy," said Talan. "Traitors are like a disease. The sooner they are dealt with using strong medicine, the better it is for the body of a military force. There's one thing I don't understand."

"Yes?" asked Desslok.

"I would love to know why the Earth woman reacted that way to your shot. They execute people for treason in her military, and she was once ready to kill you. Does she lack bravery?"

"She does not," said Desslok. "You should be aware of that."

"She was nauseated," said Astrena. "Aliscea told me. And for good reason. Why did you have to do that publicly, Desslok?"

"Why do you criticize me?" he said in a low and dangerous voice. "A military force depends upon fidelity in its officers. That man committed treason, murder, rape, and torture for his own ends. That is what should sicken you…not the fact that I had to kill this bacillus."

"You would compare a human being to bacteria?" said Astrena.

"Was not your previous husband the same? Or even worse?" said Desslok.

"I had no control over that."

"What would you have wanted if Gralnacz had been caught after raping your daughter?"

Astrena sat in silence. "Death through torture."

"And you call _me_ a barbarian," said Desslok softly. "I merely killed Kelzart. In fact, when he lay there in pain, I made sure he died _quickly_. He asked for mercy? I granted him that…with a quick death."

"So I see," said Astrena.

* * *

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**0015 Hours**

**Thursday, April 22, 2202**

* * *

"One more warp," said Venture. "Then we're home."

"I've notified the Defense Command," said Homer. Not far away drifted the _Bolivia_ and the _Dragon_.

The Star Force was now at Alpha Centauri. They had parted company with Desslok's fleet and then with Fraken after warping to 15,000 lightyears away from Earth.

They had glimpsed the Technomugar Fortress there, but the massive construction had warped away with Voton's fleet after firing a few diversionary shots.

"What did they say at Headquarters?" said Dash, who was back at his regular post.

"They're flabbergasted that we're still alive," said Homer. "But, they picked up signals from the _Bolivia_. They know it's us."

"How fast do you think Ekogaru is warping?" asked Sandor. Aliscea sat at Analysis beside Dash with her eyes closed.

"He can only warp two thousand lightyears at a time, now…I have read his warped mind." said Aliscea as she kicked out her long, bare legs for a minute. "We just beat him back home. But, we have only a week. We have to be ready to stop him then."

"Do you think we can do it, Derek?" asked Nova.

At his post, back at Command, Derek nodded. Then, he stood. "All hands, attention! We are about to make our last space warp! Make all preparations."

Then, he sat down, Some time passed. Then, he looked at Venture and said, "Mark, take us home."

"Aye, aye, sir. Ten seconds to warp….nine…eight, seven…six…"

_I hope it works this time,_ thought Nova. _Please God, don't let Ekogaru highjack us again! _She sat and thought about the huge Technomugar Fortress, loaded with weapons, bristling with towers, surrounded with a fleet…

_I hope we can stop that. Please, God let it work,_ she thought.

"…two…one…zero," said Venture.

Derek just nodded.

Venture snapped "WARP!" and pulled back the lever.

The _Argo_ faded into hyperspace.

Reality swirled and swam before the eyes of the crew, and then, reasserted itself slowly as the stars formed, cleared, and coalesced.

Before the _Argo_ was a beautiful blue planet.

Earth.

"We're home," said Derek. "_Home_."

"At long last," said Nova as tears brimmed in her eyes.

As the crew cheered and applauded, down in Defense Headquarters, Commanding General Singleton called for a visual image.

The _Argo_, as viewed from orbit over America and the Pacific Ocean, appeared on the big screen in Headquarters in Japan on Earth's nightside a moment later.

"It is them!" said Stone. "They're…they're back! They survived!"

_Children of Avatar, I knew you'd do it,_ thought Singleton.

He stood and saluted. Then, he said, "General Stone, get our information officer up here now."

"Sir?"

"I think we need to reverse that other press release," said Singleton with a smile.

"Yes, sir, I think we do," sighed Stone.

* * *

**To be Continued with Act Four: "_Home Again, At Long Last…"_**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 7 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**


	4. Chapter 4

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****A LAST BREATH BEFORE THE PLUNGE**

**Being the tenth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

**ACT FOUR: HOME AGAIN, AT LONG LAST...**

* * *

**I. HOMECOMING **

**Planet Earth**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**Thursday, April 22, 2202**

**0132 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

At last, the _Argo_ had returned home. Now, as night passed outside, the mighty ship sat moored again in the same underground drydock on Earth from which she had departed nearly four months ago.

Captain Derek Wildstar sat in his cabin alone filling out some paperwork when a tap came at the hatch.

"Come in!" he said.

The hatch opened, and in came Venture, Sandor, Yamazaki, and the Rosstowskis.

"The ship is secured," said Venture.

"She'll need a lot of dock work, though…as much as we can do in about three or four days," said Sandor.

"I know," said Derek. "That's why I was planning on giving everyone shore leave except for your Group and Engineering…so you could have the ship free to do the repair work. Of course, the Commander will have to approve it."

"There's another reason, too, isn't there?" said Aliscea.

Captain Wildstar nodded, surprised at Aliscea's knowledge of his thoughts. "Yes, there is. It's to let everyone see their families one last time…because when we get on this ship again, we may not be coming back."

"That's a hell of a way to think," said Paul Rosstowski.

"It's the truth, Paul," said Derek. "This last charge against Ekogaru might be it. I hoped we could keep it from happening…I hoped we and the Gamilons could hit them before they got here, but…despite everything we did, it _still_ wasn't enough," he sighed. Mark noticed that now, Wildstar again sounded like the angry and frustrated young man he had been in 2199. "So, I hope no one minds if I give the rest of the crew a chance to kiss their wives, parents, and girlfriends goodbye before we go off into a battle from which we may never return. Seems just like the White Comet all over again, doesn't it? Except this time, it's worse."

"We've got a rebuilt Fleet this time," said Venture.

"Yeah," said Derek as he played with his padd stylus. "We've got a whole bunch of young men and women who have no idea what they'll be facing. In my opinion, this is worse than the Gamilons and the Comet Empire all rolled together."

"This time, we have allies," said Sandor.

"Who'll probably die with us," sighed Wildstar.

"Don't give up hope, not now, not with the home stretch in front of us," said Aliscea.

"It's the thirteenth inning, the other team has the winning run on base, and our relief pitcher is getting tired just as the current home run king comes up to bat for the other side," said Captain Wildstar. "How bad can that be?"

"Not good," said Paul.

"Rosstowski, I've promoted you and Hemsford to Lieutenant, you know, and I'm giving Bryan Hartcliffe his old rank back," said Derek. "You guys all might as well die with an extra paycheck in the bank. Who's keeping watch now?"

"Nova's Officer of the Deck," said Sandor. "She's taking care of getting everyone who's taking shore leave mustered off the ship, and she's ordering the crew to prepare to man the rails at 0230 Hours."

"Why's that again?"

"Derek, the Commander is coming on board to inspect," said Venture. "You've gotta get ready for that."

"Yeah, right." said Derek. "Well, we might as well do that. And I'll have to tell Nova to have Eager, Homer and Dash hold off on their punishment drills until after they come back from leave," Wildstar added. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"Venture stood there for a minute, and then he looked at Derek's paperwork and understood. "Yeah. See ya later, Wildstar. C'mon, guys…let's go."

They left.

* * *

"I wonder why he's so depressed?" said Paul Rosstowski.

Venture sighed. "A malady unique to Captains."

"What do you mean?"

"Lieutenant Rosstowski," said Venture. "Responsibility weighs very heavily upon a Captain's head. Especially now."

"Why?'

"The desperation of our situation," said Aliscea. "I was there when, right before Ekogaru attacked Pellias, we found he had broken through a defense line in the Blackeye Galaxy known as the Derford Line. It was the Pellian Federation's last major military stand. We lost 1500 ships in that battle, and those 1500 warships weren't enough to stop Ekogaru from advancing on Pellias. Right now, everything depends upon me being able to stop him, and you know that."

"Yeah," said Paul.

"And that's why Wildstar was so depressed," said Venture. "He had paperwork out. He was writing letters…to families of those who died on our journey, and he had another bit of paper out on that desk."

"What was it?" asked Paul.

"His will."

At that, Rosstowski went silent.

* * *

Some time later, Venture, Sandor and Paul Rosstowski went about their jobs without having seen Wildstar.

On the bridge, they ran into Nova, who was sitting in the Captain's chair in her white dress peacoat, supervising the shutdown of some of the stations and making phone calls to ready various Section Chiefs for the inspection and ceremonial rail-manning duty.

"Nova, have you seen Wildstar?" said Venture.

"No, I haven't. Not since I was up in our cabin before."

"He's been acting weird," said Rosstowski.

"Oh, he'll be all right," said Nova.

"You don't sound too concerned," Venture commented.

"Mark, I know him even better than you do. I know what's on his mind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to man the gangplank in a minute. Yamazaki, you're in command up here."

"Aye, aye, ma'am," said Yamazaki. Nova got up to leave.

_I know what's on Derek's mind,_ thought Nova. _I know all too well. Because…_

_…because I'm feeling the same way right now._

* * *

A while later, outside, the crew stood manning the rails at attention. The EDF march played over the speakers, and Wildstar, Venture and the others saw Nova salute Commander Singleton at the bottom of the gangplank and grant him permission to board the _Argo_. The Commander then came up the gangplank, followed by Stone, Dentmann, Admiral Falworth, and some of the other members of the Defense Council. Nova looked very proud and serious as she escorted the Commander aboard the ship.

Once they reached the head of the gangplank, Nova saluted a silent Derek, and said, "Sir, I am now returning command to you for the time being."

"Thank you, Deck Officer," said Captain Wildstar. He saluted Singleton, and then the two men shook hands.

"It's good to see all of you back," said the Commander. "As of yesterday, we thought we'd lost you."

"We've been through a lot, sir, but we're glad to be home."

"This ship had better be shipshape," snorted Stone. "You have to join the Fleet in just a few days. Talk about cutting it close, Wildstar!"

"I have a lot of information to share with you," said Derek. "The situation has really changed out there."

"How close is the Dark Lord?" asked Michael Dentmann, from the Defense Ministry.

"Sir, I'm not sure this is the best place to discuss this," said Derek. "However, I'll let you know everything as soon as we can have a debriefing."

"There'll be one later at Defense Headquarters," said Stone.

"I see," said Derek. "Then, after our repairs and some shore leave, if the Commander authorizes it, we'll be going into battle."

"But, first, you have to participate in some wargames," said Admiral Falworth. "I'll want to see you aboard the _Andromeda_ tomorrow to discuss our Fleet plan."

"That sounds good," said Captain Wildstar as he led the staff officers and his officers into a hatchway. "As you will soon see, even though we're shipshape, the _Argo_ needs some dockyard time before she can go back into battle, and I'll be candid about that. If you'll follow me, gentlemen…"

* * *

_I don't believe this!_ Captain Wildstar thought. _General Stone's acting as if we're a bunch of cadets that he just caught partying! This is ridiculous!_

On the first bridge, Singleton stood nearby while Stone, who wore white gloves, ran his fingers over Eager's post. He found dust.

"Who is responsible for this panel?" asked Stone.

Eager, who was standing at attention by his post, said, "Sir, I am."

"Well, it's a disgrace," said Stone. "Wildstar, what sort of ship are you running here? Did we make a mistake giving you command?"

"Oh, come _on_, sir," said Admiral Falworth, who was silenced by a glare from Stone. "You know that they just came in from battle, Stone."

"Permission to speak freely, sir," said Wildstar.

"Granted."

"Sir, as the Admiral has said, we've just survived several long space warps and a battle situation. I'm very sorry that my crew didn't have the time to _dust_ everything."

"Commander!" yelled Stone as he turned on Singleton. "Are you going to allow this? I advise you to relieve Captain Wildstar of his command at once! Put someone older and more disciplined in that Captain's chair."

"No, General," said Singleton.

"Why not?"

"Wildstar is the man the President wants in that chair on this ship. And I mean to keep it that way. What do you say about that man's uniform, Captain?"

Derek looked Eager over from head to toe. _Should I be tough or easy?_ Derek thought. _Maybe, right now, I'd better be tough. That's probably what they expect…damnit._ "Sir, he has a smear on his belt buckle. Two demerits, forty pushups after this inspection is over. Do you agree you're a disgrace, Mister Eager?"

"Yes suh!" said Eager. "Ah won't let it happen again!" Eager then thought, _Wildstar, ah guess you have to do this, but it seems a bit ridiculous!_

"And what about this?" yelled Stone as he turned to Nova.

"Huh?" said Nova.

Derek raised his eyebrows. _Stone, what's wrong with her uniform? She was just serving as Deck Officer! She looks perfect…uh…except for that belt buckle? How'd she smear it?_

"Captain, this woman over here has a smear on her belt buckle, too! And is our Captain taking advantage of this situation because of that personnel experiment _you_ started, Commander?" said Stone as he noticed Derek and Nova exchanging a very quick glance.

"NO, sir" said Derek. "I'm just…surprised. Lieutenant, how did that belt buckle get smeared during an inspection?"

Nova looked down at her white peacoat and the shining brass buckle of her lavender female dress belt. "Sir, I must've bumped against something in a passage and forgot to wipe it down. I'm sorry, sir."

"ARE you sorry?" yelled Stone.

"Yessir, I'm very sorry."

"Not sorry enough," said Derek. "Two demerits, forty pushups for you, too, Lieutenant."

_Not me, too!_ Nova thought. She then remembered all the brass around and thought, _I guess Derek has to do this to satisfy these guys, and, besides, I am an officer who's screwed up…again, I guess._ "I understand, sir. I'll do them in the gym with Eager before we disembark with you present."

Singleton nodded, but Stone huffed, "If this was _my_ old command, I'd have both of them doing pushups _now, _on the deck!"

"You heard the man!" yelled Captain Wildstar. "Both of you, turn and snap to, now! Lieutenant Wildstar, you are the senior officer! Count down out loud! Forty pushups!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" yelled Nova in her best cadet tones as she and Eager began to do pushups. _This is so stupid_, she thought, not letting the thought reach her face. "One, sir! TWO, sir! Three, sir…"

"Anything else, sir?" said Captain Wildstar as he turned towards Stone.

"Nothing."

"Then let me join my men down there! I accept full responsibility for this command lapse!" said Captain Wildstar.

_Huh?_ Nova thought as she paused for a moment. _Derek, that's…you don't need to do that!_

The crew (and the Commander) stood surprised as Derek himself got on the floor and began to do pushups with his officers as Nova counted down. "I _never_ ask my men and women to do anything I'd refuse to do myself!" snapped Captain Wildstar as he voluntarily shared in his own punishment.

"This is unnecessary," said Admiral Falworth. "Stone, put a stop to this!"

"That's right," said Dentmann. "Stone, isn't the Star Force under Singleton's command, and not yours?"

_Nice, Derek,_ Nova thought. _That's the way to show him!_

"General Stone," said Derek as he did his pushups. "Have you ever done that, sir?"

"There's a difference between a CO and his officers," huffed Stone. "Wildstar! You are so damn undignified!"

"There's not that much difference on _my_ ship!" said Derek. "And, as for undignified, isn't it undignified for you to demand that two highly decorated officers fresh home from battle do pushups in front of the Commander, Earth Defense Forces?"

"Uhhh…"

"He has a point, Stone," said Falworth.

"That's enough! Stop it, _all_ of you!" said Singleton when Nova reached twenty. "Captain Wildstar, you and your officers have served your punishment as far as I'm concerned. Well done. Up!"

Derek, Nova, and Eager got up and snapped to attention.

The Commander asked, "General Stone, what do you see?"

"Three officers in dress uniform who are sweating," he huffed.

"Eager! Nova!" ordered Derek. "Tend to your posts! I need reports!"

"Yessir!" said the two peacoat-clad officers as they returned to their posts and got to work.

"They look like good officers," said Admiral Falworth as he walked the bridge with Dentmann and Stone.

"And one of them is a mere _girl,_" added Dentmann. The aged civilian with a goatee smiled at Nova, and said, "Miss, are we interrupting your desire to attend the ballet? Or your desire to return home to your kitchen, perhaps? I've never noticed this before, Singleton, but what we have here is a Children's Crusade! Some of these men don't look old enough to shave yet, and this girl here…looks like my teenage _daughter!_"

_Oh, go drop dead, you walrus!_ Nova thought as her face flushed a bit while she looked at Dentmann from over her shoulder from near her board. Of course, at twenty-four, she wasn't all that far out of her teens. She was checking readings on an auxiliary instrument for a readout at the moment and stood out a bit with her white peacoat over her gold uniform.

"Dentmann, don't start on that now!" snapped Singleton, knowing that he was taking a risk by snapping at an Undersecretary of Defense…but he was willing to do it for his subordinates…and friends…in the Star Force. "Mister Undersecretary, I see three men and _women_ who have just worked hard and still look sharp."

"They look terrible," muttered Stone.

Singleton looked at Stone. "Really! How long has it been since you've been on a bridge of a warship in combat?"

"Ten years, sir."

"Anyone who can work that hard and still look military would be on their toes in combat, as far as I'm concerned," said Singleton. "That's what we were looking for in this inspection. Mister Dentmann…General Stone…Have you noticed something about this bridge crew?"

"Sir?"

"They're exhausted. But, if they needed to, they'd be ready to go out and fight again in the next half hour. That's the sort of men and women I want in this Fleet. And Wildstar is the man they'd follow right into Hell if he asked them to do it. Captain, your ship and crew pass inspection. I don't need to see anything else. You three get cleaned up and in fresh uniforms; Wildstar, you and I will debrief in your cabin at 0330. Then, when we're done, grant these people three days' worth of shore leave."

"Yessir," said Captain Wildstar. "Nova, after you make yourself presentable, I'm returning command to you. Finish your watch as Officer of the Deck."

"Aye, aye, sir," said Nova. She saluted and left.

"General Stone, Admiral Falworth, Mister Dentmann," said Singleton. "This way. Wildstar, your bridge."

"Thank you, sir," said Derek.

After the brass left, Eager said, "Boy, could I use a shower!"

"Permission granted," said Derek. "I could use one too."

"Gonna take it with Nova?" teased Homer.

"Glitchman, _stow_ it!" snapped Derek as the bridge crew laughed. "It's a good thing Nova is holding off on your punishment PT until after our leave. Venture, you have the conn until Nova's done freshening up."

"Aye, aye, Skipper," said Mark with a grin.

"I told you," huffed Derek. "Stop calling me that!"

At that, he left.

"Hey…the way he's acting, he _needs_ that shower with Nova," said Dash.

"That's enough," said Venture. "Let's get this equipment locked down so Sandor can work on it."

* * *

The debriefing between Singleton and Wildstar lasted for two hours; from 0400 to 0600. Captain Wildstar, who had changed into a fresh Star Force uniform after his shower (which just happened to be shared with Nova, but that was no one's business but their own), sat in his peacoat with the Commander. The two men drank some coffee and informally talked about the mission while reviewing the technical data on the Technomugar Fortress and the Rikashan Fleet that had been given to Wildstar back on Carufax.

"So, you think that we can bring down the Technomugar Fortress if we strike it right here in its Phased Density Cannon?"

"We can, sir. I'm convinced of it."

"Would a wave motion gun blast do it?"

"Not quite, sir."

"Would we need several ships _en masse_?"

"That'd be the _worst_ thing we could do, Commander," said Derek. "He'd detect a fleet movement and frontal attack like that and just finish us. If we attack his Fortress, we will have to do it alone, and it will have to be a surprise attack."

"Well, what do you recommend?"

"Aliscea has said she could help us. She's said something about combining her energy with that of the wave motion gun to destroy the Fortress. As I told you, she damaged the Fortress all by herself at Iscandar with her power. With our help, she thinks she'd have more than enough power to finish him."

"That sounds good. It sounds just like what we need," said Singleton. He looked at a printout of the R'Khell fleet for a minute. "We're going to have at least five hundred R'Khell ships attacking Earth in four or five days, Captain."

"Along with perhaps four or five hundred Technomugar warships," said Wildstar as he looked at another printout. "Their plan is to eliminate our entire Defense Fleet and all of our bases before the Fortress even shows up, according to what Cha'rif and the Technomugar dissidents told us."

Singleton drank some coffee. "Do you think they'll succeed in assassinating Ekogaru?"

"They might. But, if they don't, we'll have to stop him."

Singleton looked at some other paperwork. "Now this," he said. "This is a report done in secret by Lieutenant Natalie Fisher. Doctor Sane gave it to me and asked me to review it while I was waiting for you before at 0338."

"What is it, sir?" said Derek. He looked at the clock and noticed it was now 0610.

"A psychological report on the success of the little personnel experiment with permitting you and Mrs. Wildstar, the Hartcliffes, and the Voorhees couple to room together during this cruise. Except for Mrs. Voorhees' unexpected pregnancy, which Doctor Sane said could be avoided in the future with a new contraceptive shot he's developed for _both_ genders, it looks like you conducted yourselves fairly professionally. And, of course, there were the Rosstowskis and the Ventures. They acted as professionally as you and Nova did. I think I have enough here to convince the President to extend this rule throughout the entire Fleet for married couples. As it is, on my orders, the Star Force will continue under this arrangement when you go back into battle in three days."

"Thank you, sir," said Captain Wildstar. A tap came at the hatch. "Come in!" he said.

Nova came in, wearing the fresh gold-and-black duty uniform she had changed into under her peacoat. It was her last clean one, but it didn't matter much now, since they would be off the ship soon. "Sir, I'm relieved. Sandor is now acting as Officer of the Deck."

"Come in and have some coffee with us," said the Commander pleasantly.

"Thank you, sir," said Nova.

"As for the Rosstowskis," said Singleton. "Wildstar, let Paul and Aliscea know that a house has been made available for their use on the outskirts of the Megalopolis, under a quiet guard, of course…for their safety. If Aliscea will be remaining on Earth, she will need a decent place to live."

"I will let them know, sir," said Derek. "Thank you."

"Nova, the Captain tells me you've done some great things on this mission."

"Just doing my job, as usual, sir," Nova said quietly as she shrugged off her coat and hung it up in her locker. Then, she sat down.

"It was a great job you did, performing under pressure in that scuba dive on Iscandar to obtain information about the Fortress…flying several recon missions, serving on the Bridge and Sickbay. In addition, commanding this ship in battle as Officer of the Deck, and acting honorably in captivity and single combat were great deeds as far as I'm concerned. You're too modest, Nova."

Nova sat there quietly with her eyes half-closed, hoping she wasn't flushing too much. "Are you saying I was a good officer, or a good woman officer, sir?"

"A good officer, period," said Singleton. "I don't subscribe to the sexist views of some of the others in the Defense Command, including Michael Dentmann."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" asked Nova.

"Granted," the Commander.

"He's an ugly man, sir; just as ugly as that stringy beard of his. He looks like a billy goat."

The Commander laughed.

"You noticed!" said Derek.

Nova nodded.

"You have good taste, Nova," said the Commander. "He _is_ an ugly man. I'm making sure you get an Iron Cross for bringing down Yvona Josiah. With her gone, the terrorist cult she once led is weakened."

"But not finished," said Nova as she thought, _I guess I can't refuse it, sir, but I don't want a medal for being forced to kill the woman who was my Aunt! _"I understand that Cha'rif has said that Piper Sandberg has taken over the Cult in her stead."

"Yes, Nova," said Derek. "That's what he told us. Sir, any luck on finding Sandberg yet?"

Another tap came at the hatch. "Enter!" said Wildstar.

Sandor entered, carrying a sheaf of plans. "Sir, I'm volunteering to keep my Group on board and Yamazaki is volunteering to keep Engineering on the ship as well during the repairs throughout our shore leave, if you grant it, that is.. While we repair the first gun turret, I'd like to request your permission to retrofit the turret with this new type of dual-purpose cannon."

Sandor rolled out the plans. "What is it?" asked the Commander.

"A system he's developed that may help us fight off any heavy-armored Technomugar Goraizu Fortresses if we encounter them," said Captain Wildstar. "It's called a wave motion cartridge system; it is a system that involves charging missiles like old-style Naval Artillery shells with a small amount of wave motion energy held in stasis."

"Released, it is somewhat like a small wave motion gun, without the time needed to charge the Gun. We can use it to penetrate heavily armored ships," said Sandor. "Do I have your permission to attempt a test of this system in combat?"

The Commander nodded. "Permission granted, Sandor."

"Sir, as for the shore leave I requested for the rest of the crew? They _are_ exhausted, sir." asked Derek.

"Also granted," continued Singleton. "Wildstar, I also wish to let you know that we're searching the planet for Sandberg. I don't want him giving our secrets to the enemy."

"But what if he's off-planet?" asked Derek.

"_That,_" said Singleton. "Is a possibility I don't want to consider right now…"

* * *

**II. FURTHER PLANS **

**The Grand Technomugar Fortress**

**About 22,000 Lightyears Away from Earth**

**Thursday, April 22, 2202**

**0610 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

"_Rise,_ Sandberg," whispered Ekogaru the Great in a voice brimming with hatred.

Piper Sandberg, now clad in a dark brown robe, came up from his knees, trying to hide the fact that he was trembling as he stood before the now-grotesque cyborg that Ekogaru had become. "What have you just done, Lord?"

"I have anointed you as High Priest of the Terran R'Khell Order that Yvona Josiah once led. Her cult is now part of the R'Khell priesthood by my decree and you must make sure it drops all pretenses of your native Christian belief now. I am God. Not your Native Carpenter."

"Of course, my Lord," said Sandberg as he bowed.

"Your people shall be all of the Terran Race left alive in the New Order," said Ekogaru. "As long as your serve with honor, that is. I still remember that you have defected from your Defense Council."

"I have, Lord. But that does NOT mean I am not ready to serve you!"

"We shall see," said Ekogaru. He turned to Lecha Voton. Voton had received Ekogaru's Lash earlier, and he was in agony, barely able to stand. "You failed to stop the _Argo_ for me at Rikasha. You let them get away. This cannot be forgiven readily. Since you have failed me, it is _your_ job for your Fleet to lead the attack upon Earth. Your first priority is to have your psionics see if Aliscea is on the _Argo_ in combat again as it leaves Earth to face our forces. If she is there, she and the _Argo_ must be destroyed at once. I will accept no more excuses, and I have lost my patience; I want Wildstar and his band of adventurers killed!"

"Of course, my Lord," said Voton, bowing in his new red uniform.

"Marda shall assist you. General Grodez," said Ekogaru, referring to a blue-skinned former Dark Nebulan that the Empire had recently captured. He and his fleet had been impressed into Technomugar service. Seeing an opportunity to serve among fellow cyborgs like himself now that he knew that Dezarium was destroyed as a result of the dimensional Interphases that had brought the Dark Lord to the Local Group, Grodez had accepted a Technomugar commission.

"Yes, Lord," said the white-haired former Dark Nebulan as he bowed. _I hope he is as ruthless as Skaldart was_, he thought. "Lord, my Battle Fleet and my Task Force of Autoplanet Gorba Battle-fortresses stand ready at your disposal."

"Good," said Ekogaru. "Your mission…destroy the Earth Defense Fleet. If Voton fails to catch the _Argo_, you shall serve as backup."

"Yes, Lord," said Grodez. "You can count on us."

* * *

**III. BEGIN SHORE LEAVE! **

**Planet Earth**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**Thursday, April 22, 2202**

**0630 Hours: Earth Spacetime**

* * *

On the _Argo_, the crew gathered at attention on the foredeck for one last muster before being dismissed to go on Shore Leave.

"All of you have done a great job this mission," said Captain Wildstar as he stood on the #1 gun turret in his Star Force uniform and short peacoat. Inside, Sandor's crews were already working hard at turning his plans into reality and refitting that part of the ship so that it could contain the new breeches, lifts, and magazine needed for the experimental Wave Motion Cartridges. "Therefore, all of you, except for the Mechanical and Engineering Groups, which have volunteered to remain on board the ship, are dismissed for seventy-seven hours' worth of Shore Leave on the Commander's orders. Nova, Venture, and I will be joining you on leave after we complete some business at Defense Headquarters. I will expect all of you to return for First Watch muster at 1100 Hours on Sunday morning, when we will take off for some Fleet Exercises prior to the upcoming battle."

The crew stood muttering and talking for a moment until Captain Wildstar said. "That's right, _battle._ Ekogaru hasn't given up! But, neither have we! I've just received a report transmitted from the Gamilons that indicates that a huge space fleet is gathering around the Technomugar Fortress about 22,000 lightyears away from here, far beyond the Orion Nebula. The exact location is unknown at the moment."

Derek paused to let that statement sink in. Then, he continued. "Because the danger is so great, I am advising you to use this time to…visit with your families, and to prepare for battle in whatever way you see fit. If you wish to attend your church, synagogue, mosque, temple or local shrine before we leave, please go. If you wish to spend time in private meditation, please do so. But, bear in mind, even though it looks dark, we've been here before." Derek paused again for effect.

"Remember the battle of Gamilon?" asked Captain Wildstar. "Do you remember defeating the Comet Empire? It'll be a little better than that hard time, since we have a Fleet again, but, this time, we have quite a job ahead of us. Ekogaru is far more megalomaniacal than Zordar ever was. But, remember…we are the greatest and last hope of Earth. Now is not the time to fall into despair or quit! When we get home again, it will be late spring and the cherry blossoms will still be falling. Then, we can celebrate as we finally enjoy the peace that you and our comrades have earned for us! I am now going to dismiss you. Enjoy your leave, and I will see you again soon. _Star Force, Dismissed_!"

The crew saluted as one when Derek turned his back on them, and then, the cheering started.

"That's it!" yelled Eager. "I'm goin' home to see Lisa!"

"I'm headin' back to Georgia," said Hardy.

"Angie, we're meeting me parents in Britain," laughed Bryan Hartcliffe, who had been told, at the last minute, that he would be back on the_ Argo _for the next phase of the mission after all. It seems that Wildstar had just had a change of heart about throwing him out of the Star Force.

Sakamoto looked at Hartcliffe bitterly. He was one of the few crew members who was told _not_ to report back aboard the _Argo_ in three days. Wildstar had made it clear that he had just had enough of him and his bad attitude before telling him he was reassigned back to the Fleet. _I'm thrown back into regular service like a bad fish, _thought Sakamoto. _Wildstar, you are a son-of-a-bitch!_

"Listen, Wildstar," said Sakamoto as Derek and Nova began to walk off the foredeck together; they were heading back into the ship.

"What?" said Derek. "Didn't I make it clear to you in my cabin? You're off this ship and out of my command!"

"Why did you get rid of me and keep Hartcliffe?"

"I don't have to explain my decisions," said Wildstar.

"Why?" said Sakamoto.

"Are you deaf?" said Nova in a soft but stern voice. "The Captain just told you why."

"_Why?_"

"Look at Bryan," said Derek. "He's been a disciplinary problem; he even did brig time. But, he's flown a lot of good missions for us, and he's stood beside me in battle when the chips were down and didn't let his personal feelings get in the way. That's what a good sailor does, Sakamoto. He or she forgets him or herself and thinks of his or her buddies when the time is right. Hartcliffe is a man who'd lay down his life for this ship and for his comrades. Thus, he's earned the right to _be _one of us. You, on the other hand…you're a _punk!_ Get off my ship before I have you arrested!"

"Aye, aye, _sir_," said Sakamoto.

Derek had just had enough. He let out a right hook and belted Sakamoto in the jaw. The pilot flew across the deck, landing like a bowling ball in a group of other Black Tigers. They looked rather surprised.

"Mister Hartcliffe, Miss Lubyanska, Mister Hardy," snapped Derek. "Please make sure that man leaves this ship. Turn him over to the Dockyard Guard. Don't even let him go back to his cabin; I'll have his seabag and effects shipped to the Replacement Depot ahead of him. Got that?"

"Yessir!" said Bryan, Tatiana, and Hardy all at once. Angie smiled and joined in. Together, all four of them grabbed Sakamoto and marched him down the gangplank. It wasn't all fun and games; Hardy was forced to kick his struggling former comrade in the behind once as the other three grabbed his uniform and hauled him off the ship like a sack.

"Well, looks like you clipped that Tiger's tail," chuckled Venture as he came up from behind with Holly.

"Where are you guys going after Headquarters?" said Derek.

"To meet my parents and let them know we're OK," said Mark.

"And to make plans for the big church wedding he said they'll want," added Holly.

"You need to do it again?" said Derek. "I…oh yeah…you'll need the right Sacrament or something."

"Yeah, our parents are kinda strict about that," laughed Holly.

"_Oh, no!"_ said Nova. "Derek, I've got to call _my _parents! Mom and Dad will be so worried! They still probably think we're _dead_!"

"Permission granted," said Derek. "I've got work to do and we all have to be at Headquarters by 0900 in Class A's. Meet me in our cabin!"

"Right, Derek," said Nova. They saluted, and then Nova gave her husband a hug before running off.

* * *

Captain Wildstar came by the Communications suite a bit later on. When he opened it, Nova was sitting there in something of a minor panic.

"What's wrong?"

"Derek, my parents aren't answering at home in the Megalopolis _or_ at their place in Colorado!" said Nova with a stricken, shocked look on her face. "I hope they're all right!"

"Me too."

"Come quickly! Come to Sickbay!" said IQ-9 as he ran down the corridor as fast as his tracks would take him. "Doctor Sane just discovered something!"

"What?" asked Nova.

"You recall he took blood samples from all of you after you left the Rikashan capital?"

"Yeah, right before we took off from Cha'rif's home city," said Derek. "What's up?"

"All of you have breathed in nerve gas!"

"_What?"_ said Nova.

* * *

"That's right," said Doctor Sane. "All of you breathed in very small amounts of some Rikashan nerve agent that contains a chemical I'm calling _Albania__ Five-A_. That's why you were so relaxed and unconcerned aboard that Rikashan tank."

"Why are you calling it that?" asked Nova.

"It's similar in its effects to _Albania Four_, a similar nerve agent that was used in the Unification Wars in the Battle of Albania of 2032, and which, by the way, was banned some time afterwards."

"I'm not up on the history of ancient chemical weapons," said Derek. "What did Albania Four do?"

"Albania Four was artificially synthesized and was very nasty," said Doctor Sane. "It caused one to lose control of higher bodily and mental functions, enter a state similar to that of intoxication. For example, a victim of this agent would begin losing control of bodily functions while laughing and undressing oneself for example…followed or preceded by extreme suggestibility, strange visions, hearing voices; thinking the most bizarre suggestions are normal, and even entering into a strange state of extreme sexual arousal. Needless to say, uh…I need say no more with a lady present."

"Yeah, sure," said Nova. "A lady who helps you clean crap out of bedpans."

"I'm trying to protect you," said Sane.

"Well, I'm _grown up_," said Nova. "Go on."

"Ohh…yes," continued Sane. "After these effects would come failure of the autonomic functions and death. This Rikashan equivalent produces a similar effect, but there are also odd amino-acid chains in the mixture, which makes me think it was based on some Rikashan organic substance. I was given some odd fruits by the Rikashans to examine; I might be able to create an antidote from that. I think you breathed in some of this stuff on Rikasha. Give me some time and I might be able to create an antidote in case it is used against us again. I'm analyzing this fruit they gave me now. Something called _V'Randa_ Fruit, which is supposed to be some kind of aphrodisiac."

"I have some; Cha'rif gave it to us as a gift." said Nova. "I can give it to you if it's dangerous."

"Naha, it's safe," said Doctor Sane. "Keep yours. In fact, may I make a suggestion?"

Nova nodded.

"You two go home, lock yourselves in a room for a day after these briefings, and _use_ some, and then come back to me and report on the results," chuckled Sane. "You need a long romantic night alone to relax!"

Nova and Derek looked at each other and blushed. "And make sure you two have your new contraceptive shots, please! Nova, as much as your parents want grandchildren…I don't think now is the time to have you pregnant in my Sickbay! I don't want to look for a new nurse until you enter Medical School…smart ones like you are too hard to find! And I don't think Derek is ready for diaper changes and midnight feedings yet, so let's give him a few years, huh?"

Nova just nodded. "Uh…sure."

"Go on, I've got work to do. Just be careful, Wildstar? Huh?"

Derek nodded.

* * *

Later, in their cabin, Derek was talking with Mark Venture. Nova had run off to finish an errand.

Mark sat back and asked, "Well, when we get re-married, do you still stick by your offer to be best man?"

"Yes, both Nova and I agreed to it," said Derek.

"Both of you?"

Derek nodded. "She wants me to wear a black tux; and she's wearing a matching one. Nova's idea…she thinks it's cute."

"That'll be a fun one to explain to my parents," snorted Mark. "Well, luckily, Holly's packed. We're moving in together right after that meeting. As we should…because we are legally married. Although she's joked that she doesn't want us to play around for a few days before the church wedding so it feels like we're getting married all over again. She thinks it's cute."

"What do you think of it?"

"Pain in the ass," said Mark. Both men laughed like crazy at that one.

They were still laughing when Nova came back into the room in her Class A whites. "Well, let's go," she said.

"Borrowed those shoes from Natalie? Did that because you lose parts of your uniform in combat?"

Nova rolled up her eyes and nodded.

"Okay…good. Yeah! Let's go," said Derek. "Coming, Venture?"

"Yeah, let me get Steve away from his machines and computers, Derek. We'll meet you outside."

* * *

Later on, the four of them blasted towards the Capital District and Defense Headquarters in a red staff aircar sedan they had appropriated.

"The city looks different," said Mark, who was driving. "I'm seeing fires here and there."

"They said that the enemy showed up recently and had bombed a few places. It was the R'Khells. They're softening us up for the attack," said Sandor, who sat next to him.

From the back seat Nova said, "Well, at least it's Spring now. I'm noticing the flowers. They look good this year. My garden should grow well this summer."

"You've got a garden?" said Venture.

"Uh-huh," said Nova. "In that space in the yard by the first stand of pine trees, before you get to the pool, poolhouse, and the hot spring bath."

"I never had time to look in my backyard," said Sandor. "I spent all my time at home doing designs."

"You should've got out there to look while it was winter," said Nova. "I'll bet the snow was beautiful."

"Funny; you're noticing all these things when we might be dead in a few days," snorted Derek.

"And why not?" huffed Nova. "The less time you might have to live, the more you should be thankful for and appreciate what you do have. And we have a lot, Derek. Our house, our careers, and each other."

"You sound pretty confident that we're gonna win," said Derek.

"We _are_ going to win," said Nova. "And you'd better give everyone else that confidence, Derek. No matter how anxious or depressed you are."

"You don't seem to be all that familiar with depression," laughed Sandor.

Nova sat with her head bowed for a minute. "I get depressed, too," she said in a small voice.

"Hey…you don't need to stay that way," said Derek. He smiled at her. She slowly smiled back.

"Good," said Nova. "We'll make it."

"Holly's meeting at Heroes' Hill later," said Mark. "We'd better make it."

"It's up to _all_ of us," said Sandor.

Derek nodded at that.

* * *

Later, the Wildstars, Venture and Sandor sat through a Defense Council meeting in which they reiterated everything they had told the Commander but were relentlessly grilled about it. It was not a pleasant experience. Derek later said "It made our disgrace at General Stone's hands on the bridge of the _Argo _seem gentle by comparison, and that's not saying much!"

The room was a bit dark and gloomy. To guard against the danger of R'Khell attack, the Council was meeting today in an underground bunker beneath Earth Defense Headquarters. Nova noticed that all of the light was artificial and rather cold down here, and she also noticed the room was a bit cold. _Not the nicest place in the world,_ she thought_. Freezing. I've got goose pimples all over my bare legs._ Of course, given that this was still wartime, stockings were a difficult-to-acquire and rare commodity.

The rest of the meeting was boring, until it was Sandor's turn to speak. Then, Captain Wildstar and Sandor sat with some interest for a while when the group broke off talking about fleet logistics for the battle and stopped discussing finances long enough to discuss a new project; the _Arizona_-class space battleship.

A blueprint flashed on the screen as General Camacho said, "This space battleship is bigger than our _Andromeda_ class, and it is also more heavily armored. Her gross weight is 128,750 tons, and her length is 290.0 meters; she's the biggest we have now; far bigger than our _Andromeda_ class. She is to be equipped with two uprated wave motion guns firing into a single firing gate, and she is equipped with 15 main shock cannons of 48 centimeters caliber each in five triple gun turrets. We think we can get a firing range of eleven megameters out of each of these guns."

"I could use that for the Fleet…and now," said Admiral Jeremy Falworth. He sat there with Admiral Yamanami, one of his vice-commanders.

"How soon would this mechanical marvel be ready?" demanded Yamanami. "And is she another damned _Andromeda_?"

Camacho said, "Sometime next year. As for your question, Vice-Admiral Yamanami, she is equipped with _Andromeda_-style systems that can be overridden by the operators in an emergency or when greater precision is needed. Sandor, would you please explain the engine systems?"

"My pleasure," said Sandor, who handed over a message capsule from inside his blue peacoat. "The engine for this class will be a variation of my Type 2202 reiteration of the wave motion engine. With technology I have been working on, along with technical developments gleaned from the Gamilons in the past as well as recently, I have invented a device that will take the Iscandarian wave motion engine design to a second-generation level. I call it the "wave motion supercharger" or "_hado_ supercharger" in Japanese. The first new ships built from the keel up to contain this system will be the first two ships of the _Arizona_ class. These will be the _Arizona_ herself, which will be entering service as the new flagship of the Combined Fleet of the Defense Forces sometime next year after the war, and the new space battleship _Pennsylvania_, the Second Star Force's vessel."

"Sandor?" said Derek. "Did you say Second Star Force?"

Singleton nodded. "You heard correctly, Captain. We didn't wish to tell you until now, but we are beginning construction on a second special missions ship."

"But what's going to happen to the _Argo_?" demanded Wildstar. "Don't tell me you're…"

"Please," whispered Nova. "Don't stand up…"

The Commander shut his eyes before looking at both Sandor and Wildstar. Then, he said, "The _Argo_ is going to be supplemented by our Second Star Force…not supplanted. I have received approval for a Second Star Force unit that would serve two functions, among other things. It would serve as a backup in a crisis situation in case the _Argo_ is on patrol elsewhere, and it would serve as a backup for when the _Argo_ is in refit or when her crew is disbanded for leave or refit or for TDY's for her officers and men. The _Argo_ is going to be refitted after the war in order to have its gun turrets upgraded to include the wave motion cartridge system Sandor described to you. She will also serve as the testbed for the new engine design that Sandor has been working on since well before the White Comet came."

"What does this design do?" asked Captain Wildstar. "I'm sorry, what was that new device you invented again?"

"It is called the wave motion supercharger," said Sandor as he pulled up some technical graphics. "To put it simply, up until now our existing wave motion engines have depended upon a semi-controlled tachyon surge in order to shove a vessel into the Fourth Dimension. We could control the strength of the surge and its duration and aim so we could guide a vessel in and out of warp, but we could never pinpoint this surge before. That's why warps with our current system lead to ever more bizarre effects and stress on the human body the further that one warps, and why they have a maximum range of about thirty thousand lightyears or so."

"You don't need to tell _me_ about bizarre effects," said Nova. Some of the Council laughed.

"Excuse me?" said General Stone.

"I've just experienced some of the stranger effects," said Nova in a small voice. "Of course, I've warped longer and further than most people in this room."

"And you're awfully modest, Mrs. Wildstar." said General Staci Nagle in an almost motherly voice.

"Uhh…yes," said Nova as some of the men chuckled. The Commander cleared his throat for silence. "Go on, Commander Sandor."

"Yessir. With the supercharger, we can focus the warp surge and control it more finely, entering a state of "continuous warp" where upgraded computer systems and navigational systems can make a long range fix and calculate a number of shorter warps in quick succession. Using this method, we could warp to the Great Magellenic Cloud in a few days rather than weeks, for example. Perhaps even hours or minutes, if we know the precise heading. I'm not sure what this system will be able to do yet. Also, it will improve the range and speed up the charging time of any wave motion gun charged by an engine with this new technology. And the recovery time from warps and wave gun firings will improve, now. We would only be helpless for maybe…forty-five seconds as opposed to a few minutes. I was able to work some of these changes into the _Argo's_ computer software so we can have the benefit of some of these developments in the upcoming war. But, the full implementation of this system would require a six or seven month long refit for the _Argo_, and would delay the new ships until about the middle of next year."

"So I see," said the Commander. "However, the first of the promotions we would need to make would still be in order, since in the upcoming battle, don't we have need for a special task group?"

"We do," said Falworth. "We have found that the R'Khell fleet is coming in first. My plan is to form a task group of one carrier and several battleships that can carry a good-sized complement of planes, along with cruisers, destroyers, and light patrol ships. This task group would find the R'Khell Force, which, as the Gamilons have informed us, contains a large number of carriers and planes meant to bombard our bases and Earth herself into abject submission. I am expanding upon the late Admiral Gideon's old idea of attacking the Comet Empire Fleet first and would like to strike the enemy before they enter the solar system, possibly at Alpha Centauri. I would like Derek Wildstar to command this special force and I would like to designate the _Argo_ temporarily as the Flagship of Task Group 1.1 for the duration of this mission. Mind you, this mission is vital to the success of our defense of the solar system, a defense that would end with the destruction of the Grand Technomugar Fortress after the immediate threat of the attack fleets is solved. I also understand a main Technomugar force is heading towards Earth. I have a strategy in mind for units of the Fleet to stop that Fleet without putting all of our eggs into one basket."

"Sir, you read my paper?" asked Derek, who was surprised.

"Yes, I read your December 2201 post-mortem critique of the Battle of Saturn, Wildstar, and I'm going to implement it."

"It was a very good paper," said Nova.

"It was, Lieutenant," said Falworth with a smile.

"Captain," said the Commander. "Do you accept this mission?"

"I do," said Derek after a quick moment in which he thought_, Would we still be able to stop Ekogaru? He's the greatest threat of all!_ Then, he thought. _We have to keep Earth safe…from this enemy force as well as from the Fortress. It's just like the Comet Empire, all over again, only bigger. And I wonder if those guys are gonna show up like Desslok thought?_

"And do you accept promotion to Commodore on the order of the President?" said the Commander as the room buzzed.

"_Sir_?" said Derek as he and Nova stood up. The Commander affectionately put his arms on their shoulders.

"I don't think you can refuse this, Derek," said Nova in a small voice.

"It is his choice, Lieutenant. But, we need you there, Wildstar. And Nova, we need you to help Derek make the needed plans, along with Commander Venture and Commander Sandor."

"We need to work together on strategic planning," said Admiral Falworth as he came up behind them. "To gain access to some of our operational plans and command that fleet, you have to be of flag rank, even though you are about to become the youngest Flag Officer in Earth's history. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, do they not?"

Derek sat in thought. Then, he said. "I accept this command, sir. And my new rank."

"Congratulations, Commodore Wildstar," said Singleton with a smile. "Now, you can stay for the rest of the meeting, and offer your input…"

* * *

Later on that morning, a tired Commodore Wildstar sat in the grass near Heroes' Hill with Nova. They had gone there alone; Mark and Holly Venture were due to show up in a while. They would eat lunch together.

Both Derek and Nova were in civilian clothes now. Derek wore a blue-grey sweater, white bellbottomed jeans, and white sneakers, an outfit that made Nova joke, "Derek, you look like a Commodore now…the Commodore of some private yacht club!"

"Oh, _shut up?_" he smiled. "You look like a schoolgirl in your outfit!"

"Because I have a tie on, or a short skirt?" asked Nova. She wore a white blazer similar to her EDF Class "A" jacket, with a light blue blouse of silk decorated with one of her old high school uniform ties in blue and gold; a dove-grey skirt and open sandals completed her attire.

"I don't believe it," muttered Derek. "I'm a Commodore now. Am I dreaming this, Nova?"

"You're not dreaming a thing," said Nova as she knelt in the grass picking flowers. Derek thought she looked very beautiful in her white and grey outfit today in the sunny breeze.

"I see you're picking flowers," said Derek. "Who are the flowers for?"

**_Artwork Above: Springtime: Computer-generated art based upon original Yamato artwork by Frederick P. Kopetz_**

"Holly. They're going in Mark and Holly's kitchen. Mark's house has always looked so sad. He's never had flowers there. The place needs a woman's touch."

"Even if the woman looks like a schoolgirl. What's in that book again?"

"A photo album," said Nova. "Some of these pictures were taken of me and by me when you were on patrol on the _Argo_ for almost a year last year before the Comet Empire. I never thought to share these with you until now. We'll look them over later on and have a few laughs at some of the sillier scrapes I got into when you were in space."

"You know we will be in battle soon," said Derek as he sat looking towards the spire of Heroes' Hill. "That's why I told them to meet us here, up on the edge of the Hill. I don't want to see those memorials today."

"Why not?"

"They remind me of death, Nova. Possibly our own deaths. Maybe I'm the youngest Commodore in EDF history, but I might prove to be the shortest-lived one, too."

"Don't talk like that," said Nova. "And one last thing," she said as she pulled her sandals off for a minute and went barefoot in the warm grass.

"Yeah?"

"Take your sneakers off. This grass feels _wonderful_. Much better than that cold Council chamber where my feet were freezing."

"Not now. Maybe later?"

"Later might be too late," said Nova in a soft voice. "Oh! Here's Mark and Holly! And Holly's got the cutest pink dress on!"

"You _would_ notice that."

"You're buying me one," teased Nova.

"When?"

"Today? After lunch?"

Derek just smiled.

* * *

A while later, Nova and Derek met the Ventures. Holly loved Nova's flowers. Mark still wore his Star Force uniform, while Holly wore a diaphanous pink taffeta dress with a blue jacket. Nova thought she looked adorable; for once, Holly wasn't wearing her hair in a ponytail; instead, it just flowed free in the breeze like Nova's shorter hair.

Lunch went nicely for the two couples. They went to an outdoor café to eat. They sat and laughed, enjoying a nice set of _bento_ boxes, gorging themselves on the sushi rolls, _onigiri_ rolls, pickled plums, and other such delicacies they hadn't had in weeks, washing it all down with some beer.

"That was good," said Derek.

"Now, who calculates the tip?" asked Mark.

"I dunno," said Holly.

"Oh, no," said Nova. "I always get stuck with…"

Then, all of a sudden, they saw a crying girl leaning over an empty, umbrella-covered table. Her face wasn't visible (it was buried against the table in the crook of her arm as she sobbed her heart out), but she wore rather somber black and white clothing, all of which contrasted with her very light blonde hair.

"Who's that?" asked Holly.

"Beats me," said Mark.

"I'd better go see if she's all right," said Nova. "Derek, your job to do the tip."

"Oh, damnit," said Wildstar.

Nova ran over. "Hey," she said softly as she threw her arm around the blonde girl's shoulder. "It'll be all right," she said to the younger girl in a soothing voice.

"You wouldn't know," gasped the crying girl through her tears. "My cousin's dead, and I'm on my way to her wake. She was like a big sister to me, the best cousin a girl could ever have. She was like an angel; she was so smart…and so brave. Me, I'm stupid, and worthless, and a screw-up in the Service. I want to resign and become a bum!"

"Don't say that," said Nova softly. "Your cousin wouldn't have wanted that for you, whoever she was! I'm sorry to hear she's dead. Did she die in one of these bombing raids? They're so terrible!"

"No, the Rikashans killed her! Rikashan madmen! They should wipe out that whole race!"

"Every race has good and bad in it. No one is entirely evil. There are good Rikashans as well as bad ones."

"What do you know?" sobbed the girl. "You're not like my cousin and you have no damn idea what she was like! She was the best person in the world! Even though you kinda sound like her, seeing good in everything."

Derek and Mark came over with Holly. They had paid the check and seen that Nova had adopted this girl as another one of her "special cases"--people who had to be comforted as quickly as possible or else the world would die. "Nova, who is this?" asked Derek.

"I don't know…but she's awfully upset. Miss, could you lift up your face? I bet it's very pretty. Let me help you blow your nose."

"What was that name? You've even got the same name as my dead cousin," sniffed the girl as she raised her head. Nova began to pat the tears away from her eyes with a hanky of hers.

As she did so, under the encrusted tears, Nova saw that the girl's eyes were very dark and very brown, much like hers.

The girl's eyes focused slowly upon the rather pretty heart-shaped face in front of hers. They took in the honey-blonde hair, dark eyes, slender nose, and then, the girl screamed.

"My GOD! YOU'RE A GHOST! YOU'RE NOVA'S GHOST!"

"Allison?" said Nova. "Cousin Allison, is that you?"

"I'm gonna die soon!" yelled Allison Forrester. "Nova, _you've come for me!_" Then, the girl began to just scream. By now, everyone was looking.

The proprietor of the café ran over in his chef's whites and white sushi-maker's hat. "Excuse me, but does she need professional help?"

"No, she's just shaken up," said Nova. "Apparently, she thought I was dead…"

"You _are_ dead!" yelled Allison.

"Hey. Do ghosts pat people on the cheek?" said Nova. "Look. I'm fine, and here's Derek, whom you've met, and Commander Mark Venture and his wife Holly, whom you've never met before. The _Argo_ was never destroyed! It was a false report! We're fine!"

"It's really…you?" sniffed Allison.

Nova hugged her. "Who else would be this tolerant of you, silly?"

"You and your damn school tie!" laughed Allison. "Good…you're fine. But, your Mom and Dad don't know that!"

"Where are they?"

"Nova, they're at a funeral home, crying over the empty caskets for you and Derek that the EDF gave them."

"Didn't they hear the news?" asked Derek.

"Aunt Teri's hysterical! I think she's losing her mind and might lose her twins," sobbed Allison. "And Uncle Karl's drinking like a fish! They've turned off their phones, and they refuse to listen to the news or let anyone tell them any news. The funeral director tried to tell them something earlier this morning, but Karl refused to hear it! I couldn't take it any more, so I came over here to get some air."

"Where is this funeral home?" asked Derek.

"Yamamori's," said Nova. "It's around the corner. One of my aunts got buried through there last year when you were in space. C'mon! We can get there on foot!"

* * *

They ran to the funeral home, which was a large Western-style establishment with a stone front behind a solemn green awning.

"Reminds me of places in New York City," muttered Mark as they walked in, their footsteps soft on the somber but refined dove-grey carpet in the lobby. Soft organ music played somewhere in the background.

A short, pudgy Japanese man in a dark suit and black tie came out, his eyes widening as he noticed the Wildstars and Ventures. "Thank God you've arrived," he said in a respectful whisper. "I was so busy with…uh…your wake, that I had no time to listen to the news until an hour ago. Then, when I heard about the _Argo's_ arrival, I tried to respectfully get Mister Forrester into my office to tell him the good news and tell him he didn't need to have a funeral any longer."

"What did he say?" asked Derek.

"I think I know what Dad said," said Nova. "Did he tell you to go to Hades?"

"Uh, to put it nicely, yes. I didn't want to make a scene, so I let him return to comforting his wife. I think the man's a bit drunk," he said calmly. "I didn't tell the others. That room is full of crying people…"

"Well, I'll go in there and tell them, then," said Nova.

"No, please let me make the announcement," said Yamamori-san. "It might shock people if you…"

"She already did," said Mark as Nova calmly walked on and began to open the French door that led to her own viewing.

"Nova, would you hold on a minute?" said Derek.

"I've already got the door open," said Nova, who was invisible to the mourners on the other side of the glass in the slumber room thanks to a curtain that was on the inside of the French window. "Let's go in."

* * *

So, Derek and Nova Wildstar calmly walked in on their own wake.

It was a very surreal scene.

There were the usual couches and folding chairs spread around the room; the room was full of mourners, mostly family, along with a few friends of Nova's parents.

In the front of the room, under semi-hidden spotlights, there rested two coffins on biers. Both were sealed. One was black, shining, and looked very expensive; the other one was equally-expensive looking but was pure white.

In front of the black coffin rested a large oil portrait of Captain Derek Wildstar in his Captain's cap and black peacoat. The red lights customary to High-Church style funerals sat at the head and foot of the casket. The casket was decorated with many flowers in different colors, and a white EDF Captain's hat, empty gloves, and an officers' saber rested on the casket.

Mass Cards sat in a stand nearby, exhorting the bearer to pray for the soul of Captain Derek Wildstar_. Nice to know I'll be well-remembered in my death, _he thought. _This is weird. If I saw this at all, shouldn't I be up there some place, floating around?_

Derek had his back turned to the mourners; no one had taken notice of his face or Nova's as they had walked in.

Karl Forrester removed a flask of Scotch from inside the jacket of the suit he wore, and he said, "Teri, ya wan' some?"

"No, No, I don't," said Teri Forrester, who was fairly pregnant in a somber tunic and slacks. "The world's ended. Nova's gone! I wish that damned Captain and girl would get away from Wildstar's coffin up there. I can't see our baby's casket," she whispered in a state of hysteria.

Karl just hugged Teri. "It's there. Believe me."

"But I want to see it!"

In the meantime, Nova herself was looking at her own casket. She had pulled out one of her own Mass Cards. The Community Church, to which she and her parents now belonged, after she had been raised Catholic as a child was a more progressive Reformed offshoot of the Roman Catholic Church. It had begun to form in America in the mid 21-st century as a reaction to the scandals, doctrinal intolerance, bigotry, and institutional arthritis that had formed in the American Catholic Church of that day. Condemned by Rome at first as Episcopalianism and Lutheranism had, it later formed a semi-concordant and friendly relationship with Rome sometime during the Gamilon War.

Nova then looked down at her casket. It was white. An oil portrait of herself in her Star Force duty uniform sat in front of the casket. On the casket sat a scarlet ladies' EDF Headquarters beret (the hat that went with her class A uniform) along with an officers' saber and tons of white roses. Many floral sprays were behind the casket, between the lit candles at each end.

_It's eerie, looking at your coffin when you happen to be alive!_ Nova thought. _I'd better correct them on this._

Between the two coffins, there was a small lectern for the priests to use to conduct prayers and make announcements. She and Derek both turned at the same moment as the Ventures and Allison came in.

At that moment, Allison yelled. "Look up there! My cousin Nova's alive! She's in the room."

"What the…?" muttered one relative.

"Poor taste," muttered another.

Then, someone looked up, saw Nova there, and screamed. "A GHOST!"

"Naaaah, ghosts don't hold hands. It's Captain Wildstar! In the flesh! With Nova!"

"What the hell…?" said Karl. Then, he looked up and said, "I'll…be…damned…" as his eyes met his daughter's

Teri sat open-mouthed in shock as Nova tapped at the microphone. Then, Nova said. "Uhhh…as you might be able to tell now, there's been some kind of awful mistake. Derek and I are actually alive. The _Argo_ just came home this morning."

"That's right," said Derek. "So…uh…since we're actually alive, you can call off the wake."

Teri stood up, with her eyes brimming. She stood shaking as she looked at her daughter and son-in-law, who were accompanied by Mark and Holly Venture and Allison Forrester a minute later.

"It's true," said Allison. "I just met them a little while ago."

"Oh, _God_!" screamed Teri. Then, she collapsed…in a dead faint.

* * *

A while later, a shocked Teri Forrester awoke…with her head on her daughter's lap. "Momma?" said Nova in a soft voice.

When Teri looked up at Nova's face, she began to gasp with hysteria again. But, Nova just patted her face with a wet cloth. "Shhh…it's all right."

"Yamamori!" yelled Nova's cousin Jane. "You could've told us this earlier and spared us the shock!"

"I tried to," said the hapless funeral director. "But, Mister Forrester…"

"Okay," said a somewhat inebriated Karl. "There's…uhh…been one heck of a mistake. Earth Defense has a lot to answer for."

"Why'd you come by and make that announcement, Samuel?" yelled Teri. "You're as bad as your mother!"

"I was under orders," sobbed Samuel Josiah. "I didn't like the idea of Nova and Derek being dead any more than you did."

"It's all right," said Nova. "I'm…I'm fine. Derek?"

Derek looked around. "Let's get this straightened out and get the funeral cancelled. Mr. Forrester, please follow me."

So, Derek and Karl went into Yamamori-san's office and cancelled the funeral. Derek agreed to reimburse Yamamori himself for any expenses he had already incurred, and he and Nova volunteered to buy the empty caskets so they could be donated to a poor family that might need them. In the meantime, outside, a living Nova apologized again to the mourners for the shock and did the best she could to calm everyone and smooth over any hurts.

Finally, Karl and Derek came out of the office. Teri came up, blowing her nose and looking more composed as Nova held her hand. "Karl, we had some food ready at the apartment for everyone. Let's all go there now and hold…well…an _un-wake_ for Nova and Derek."

"Un-wake?" said Karl.

"I think she means the opposite of a wake," said Mark Venture with a smile. "Isn't it more fun to have us all around than to be mourning our deaths?"

"Yes, it sure is," said Karl.

* * *

A while later, at the Forrester's apartment, a party was in progress. Teri, naturally, avoided the available alcohol due to her pregnancy, so she enjoyed the various snacks and soft drinks available at the apartment as she and Nova worked barefoot and relaxed together in the kitchen to finish warming up the food that the catering agency had left earlier. Nova had also gotten rid of her jacket and tie to help her mother, and she had untucked her blouse so its tails hung out over her simulated suede skirt as an impromptu apron.

"How is everything?" asked Nova as she popped her head into the living room, where the others were partying over happy classical music on the sound system.

"Great!" laughed Derek. He had a glass in his hand. Nova suspected it did _not_ contain water or soda.

"You look a bit happy!"

"More than a _bit!_" laughed Derek.

"Yeah!" chuckled Karl as, per Nova's suspicions, he poured Derek and himself another shot.

"You two are gonna get drunk," commented Nova with a wry grin.

"So, it's a wake…or it was," said Karl. "I believe you're supposed to drink a lot at a wake?"

"If I have enough, can I play dead?" laughed Derek.

"_Jeez_," said Nova. "Good thing I'm abstaining while Mom and I cook."

"Whyzzat, Nova?"

"Someone has to be able to drive you home, Derek," said Nova softly as she tiptoed up to her husband and kissed him, unmindful of the Scotch on his breath.

Nova then screeched as her cousin Jane took a picture of the two of them caught in mid-kiss. "Aww, how cute," said Jane.

"Speaking of cute, I've got these," said Teri as she waltzed out of the kitchen with photographs in her hand.

"What are those, Mrs. Forrester?" asked Holly in an amused voice.

"_Not those_!" said Nova. "Mom, put them away!" she giggled.

Derek then excused himself. Not wanting to destroy all of his brain cells (as he had a romantic reunion with Nova on his mind for later that evening at home) he got rid of the Scotch in an inconspicuous manner and came back with a cup of coffee. Then, he, Venture, and Samuel shared a quick, dirty guy's joke in the empty breakfast nook. They were about to share another one when Nova's cousin Allison overheard them and shooed them all out to their loved ones. When Derek came back out, he was happy and relaxed…but he noticed that Nova's mother was still carrying the pictures.

"Why are you showing those off, Aunt Teri?" asked Samuel.

"Now that my daughter's alive, I can embarrass her again," said Teri with a soft grin. "These were several good boys I had picked out for Nova to consider marrying. There were seven boys…"

"And two of them were brain-dead," said Nova, "One was an idiot, and one tried to feel me up on our first date."

"What did you do with that one?' laughed Derek.

"Kicked him where it would hurt when he didn't get the hint," said Nova with a shy grin while patting her father on the shoulder.

Father and daughter exchanged a quick wink. Then, Karl took a deep breath and commented, "But our daughter found the best catch by herself, didn't she, Mother?"

"Yes," said Teri after a long moment's worth of gazing at Derek. "Even with all the danger she's been through, we're glad she married Derek."

The group applauded as Derek and Nova made rather sweet eyes at each other. Then, Nova whispered something to her husband that he alone heard…and which made him blush. She kissed him on the ear through his mane of hair and ran off into the kitchen.

* * *

**IV. NOVA'S DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL… **

**Planet Earth**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**Friday, April 23, 2202**

**0045 Hours: Earth Spacetime**

* * *

Dinner was good. Finally, after a long, pleasant night, Mark and Holly prepared to leave. Mark whispered lasciviously to Derek what he was gonna do with Holly when he brought her into his house for her very night there with him. Nova overheard and playfully cuffed Mark in the side of the head, and there was laughter as the Ventures left, followed by Samuel. Samuel had told his cousin Nova that he wanted to find a date tonight.

"Good luck," she said. "Just be careful. Remember, not every fish in the sea is a good catch. Don't be too desperate tonight, Sam."

"What are you gonna be up to tonight?"

"None of your business," said Nova with a smile as she tied her tie back on. "Derek, help me with my blazer?"

He did so, and even knelt before a little seat in the Forrester's foyer and put Nova's dress sandals back on her feet in the same manner that a certain Prince had put glass slippers on Cinderella in the old folk tale. Finally, Derek and Nova said goodbye to the guests and went home by themselves. Nova drove their aircar, since Derek still said he felt a little queasy.

At home, Derek carried Nova romantically over the threshold all over again as they entered the house for their first night there alone in almost four months. She laughed like a schoolgirl, and insisted upon being undressed in the foyer. Derek gratefully complied, with articles of Nova's clothing flying everywhere. Then, Nova enjoyed the feeling of being swept up in her husband's arms and taken on a long walk; something not possible on the _Argo_. Nude in her husband's arms, there wasn't any need for shame now as she watched nature taking its course on her body as her motor started up again. They never noticed the rain outside as they entered their bedroom, with Nova undressing her husband eagerly as she lay in his arms. She was teasing him in an intimate manner before he was even fully undressed. Derek reiterated with Nova, with her nudity making it easier.

Finally, after many long, tender moments, the slipped into bed, and into each other's arms, ignoring the spring thunderstorm outside as they made tender love.

Later on, after a badly needed nap, Derek woke up to find Nova sitting quietly by the window. She had dressed again in the blue blouse that she had retrieved from downstairs.

"Nova, why do you look so sad?"

"Derek, it just hit me…I think we _did_ attend our own funeral today."

"Why do you say that?"

Nova wiped her cheek; she had been crying alone. "It was a funeral, and we have that battle coming up. That battle. Ekogaru and his power…that Fortress. Derek, I'm sorry, but…I'm beginning to lose hope. We've spent all these months fighting, and we're no closer to finishing Ekogaru than we were in January."

"Nova, Aliscea said he's been weakened. Now, all we have to do is strike the death-blow."  
"Can we do it, Derek? I'm getting really worried…what if you die in this battle?"

"If I die?"

"Derek… I couldn't live without you! I don't even want to think about it!"

Then, her doubts just dissolved into broken sobs. Derek got up and held his wife against his bare chest. "Nova…yes…we're going to win. You'll see."

"I really hope so. I've even had thoughts…about…resigning my commission."

"Why?"

"I'm tired, Derek. I killed a relative, I had to make hard decisions on that bridge the night Holly got wounded, and I feel like I've done enough. Maybe I can't do this anymore. I love you, but…I'm just so overwhelmed. Exhausted!"

"Maybe you just need to rest?"

"I hope so," she sobbed. "I don't want to leave you and the others…but…oh…just…please do something?"

"What?"

"Take me into bed again and keep me warm? I'm cold. I dressed myself in my blouse because I feel like cold…death."

"I'll help you…"

"I hope so…I don't want to think about dying…I want to feel like a baby with her mother tonight…safe, safe with you."

"Nova, I'll keep you warm."

Derek kissed her and led her to bed. He tenderly took her blouse off and held her naked against his chest as they climbed back into bed.

Nova shut her eyes, and, finally, sleep took her as she lay against Derek's chest, just listening to his steady heartbeat.

* * *

**To be Concluded with Act Five: "_Once More, Unto the Breach…"_**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 6 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**


	5. Chapter 5

**ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE**

**STAR BLAZERS****---****A LAST BREATH BEFORE THE PLUNGE**

**Being the tenth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz**

**Thanks to Glenn Brensinger for helping to resolve a plot point that was slightly altered in a rewrite of this chapter--_Freddo_**

* * *

**ACT FIVE: ONCE MORE, UNTO THE BREACH...**

* * *

**I. THE ROSSTOWSKI HOME **

**Planet Earth**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**Friday, April 23, 2202**

**0728 Hours: Earth Space-time**

* * *

Aliscea Rosstowski yawned and awoke. She was in a wide bed next to Paul in a reconstructed, beautiful old house in a park-like setting not far from the Wildstars' neighborhood.

"Paul, are you up yet?" said Aliscea. What she had worn to bed were the only nightclothes she owned, namely, her own skin.

"Waking up," he said. "What a big bed."

"What did you say this place was, Paul?"

"Well, when they gave us the keys, they said it was once an old embassy back in the days before the Earth Government was unified. It's been rebuilt and kept around as a house for visiting VIP's. I guess you're the very first visiting alien VIP to come to Earth, so they felt it was appropriate for us."

"Good. I want to stay here, Paul. I like this house, even though it's very big…and very old."

The sound of a grandfather clock chiming away the half-hour rang somewhere in the large, old house. "I think they said it won't be a problem. They were saying something about giving you an embassy since you represent the Pellian Gov…"

Aliscea sat with her eyes closed for a moment. "Mom says yes. We need an embassy somewhere other than the one being opened on Iscandar. Someday, Mother says, when there's enough of us, she wants to give birth to a little girl who will be the new Queen and our people will then find a new home to settle on."

"You won't leave me? I'll go wherever you go!"

Aliscea laughed. "No, Paul. We're together until we die. I am always going to be an expatriate. I've decided I like Earth and its people, Paul, my love. I would love to stay here. Earth is a place, like Pellias, where good can grow and live and flourish. It is worth fighting for. And believe me, after this rest, in the next few days, we _will_ be fighting."

"Aliscea, will we win?"

"I don't know, Paul," she said in a sad voice. "I really…don't know…"

They embraced, sharing the hug for quite a long time.

* * *

At Mark and Holly Venture's home, Mark awoke to…breakfast.

"What a surprise!" said Venture as he stumbled out into the kitchen in his bathrobe.

"I got up earlier and went out running; then I went shopping," said Holly. She was wearing a t-shirt and cutoffs. "Did you know there's a path here that leads to a beach that runs along all those coves along the Bay?"

"No, I didn't know that."

"There's even a dock about a kilometer away. Anyway, when I was up this morning, running down the beach with my thongs kicked off by the beach grass, guess who I ran into on the beach?"

"Who?"

"Nova. She was up running at 0600 in a swimsuit. She said that the beach comes very close to their house; it's quite a run."

"How is she?"

"Fine, but she said she had something on her mind that she had to decide. She wouldn't tell me what it was," said Holly as she began to butter some pancakes for Mark. "Like the bacon?"

"Yeah," said Mark as he ate. "When are you gonna sit down to eat? Looks like ya made enough."

"Oh, how's about now? Damn, I'm talking like you now."

They laughed at that. "What were you saying last night about our wedding here on Earth?" said Mark.

"I haven't told my parents about you yet. I'm not quite sure how to introduce you."

"I told Dad about you in passing on the phone," said Mark. "He said it sounded good I had a girlfriend again."

"I'm way more than a girlfriend," she said.

"When are you putting your ponytail back in?"

"Not until we…leave," said Holly as she flipped her free hair. "You know…Nova and I had a race? She sort of beat me."

"Yeah, she can run pretty fast. She beat me in a beach race once when we were on Iscandar the first time. What were you doing on Iscandar that mission?"

"Looking for gemstones. They weren't hard to find. I have a little hobby…I like to collect gemstones and make jewelry. I plan to make our own wedding rings, Mark. I have enough money to buy some precious metal, and I can make a nice lost-wax mold and pour the metal somewhere in that little workshop you have. Who made that up, anyway?"

"Steve," said Mark with a laugh. "Sandor made sure that both Wildstar and I have little workshops in our places."

"Yeah. He's really a nice guy. Seems cold until you get to know him. Where's Derek and Nova today? Might be nice to get together again."

"Last night, _Commodore_ Wildstar…boy, that sounds weird…given those cards at the funeral where they were calling him Captain…"

"Did he correct Nova's parents?"

"Yeah. He did. The Commodore said he had to go meet with Admiral Falworth on the _Andromeda_ today. They have to discuss the upcoming battle…"

"I see…"

* * *

At Earth Defense's space docks, Commodore Wildstar was about to board the new _Andromeda_.

Upon boarding the ship, Wildstar was escorted to Admiral Falworth's quarters.

There, he found Admiral Falworth, in his blue and gold peacoat, sitting behind his desk. Wildstar exchanged salutes with the Admiral and sat down. Sitting nearby was another young man, who was also in a blue peacoat with gold lining.

"Captain?" said Falworth. "Your _bona fides_, please?"

"Sir?" asked Derek.

"This is a most classified meeting," said Falworth. "I can't take the risk of spies being in here to overhear us."

The younger man nodded. Then, he stood, saying, "Sir, here are my orders and security clearances. Kindly introduce me to the Commodore?"

"Of course," said Falworth.

"Was he part of your staff? He has on the First Fleet Command colors," said Derek.

"Until recently, his ship was one of my escorts, but now, he will be serving with your Task Group 1.1 as one of the _Argo's_ escorts, and he will be the operational second-in-command of your fleet," said Falworth. "Commodore, I would like to introduce you to Captain Daniel Borland, the skipper of the patrol cruiser _Mogami_. He has been instrumental in spotting several enemy movements over the past few weeks, and he kept Fourth Fleet from being ambushed out by Neptune recently."

"Captain," said Derek as he extended his hand.

"Commodore, sir," said Borland, who saluted, and solemnly held the salute for a moment. Borland had to keep from grinning as he thought _My Commanding Officer, and our greatest enemy. No one has suspected a damn thing yet. No one ever learned I was down there at that meeting with Sandberg and Cha'rif in the underground city a few weeks ago. They don't know that the enemy will soon know everything, and that maybe I can help the R'Khells and Ekogaru stab Earth in the back! Great!_

_I can't believe I'm being saluted by a Captain,_ thought Derek. _Oh, yes…I'm a Commodore now. He should be saluting me, even though I don't wear my epaulets with this undress peacoat._

Derek returned the salute. "I'm honored."

"I'm honored to be in your presence, Commodore," said Borland, laughing to himself as he realized he was saluting his enemy. "You're one of our greatest heroes, and one of the greatest military minds of the past fifty years." _Too bad you'll be dead soon,_ he added to himself.

"Now, if you don't mind, let's get down to business," said Falworth. "This is our battle plan."

The old man began to push keys on a computer keyboard. "We have received information from several patrol cruisers about the whereabouts of the R'Khell Fleet and the Technomugar Fleet following it," said Falworth as he brought up a graphic from his desk. The graphic appeared on a screen behind him. "First, there is the R'Khell Fleet," said Falworth. "We have analyzed it; it consists of twenty-five heavy carriers, ten light carriers, fifteen space battleships, twenty cruisers, and about a hundred destroyers."

"A hundred and seventy ships altogether…good-sized task group," said Derek.

"You're telling me," said Borland.

"Your mission, after a days' worth of maneuvers on the twenty-fifth, will be to ambush this fleet at Alpha Centauri early on the twenty-sixth. Based on Wildstar's mission and his report from Lord Cha'rif of Rikasha, we have information from the Rikashans that they will have to stop somewhere to refresh their water supplies right before they attack our solar system. Since the primary inhabitable planet of the Alpha Centauri star system contains water, although not enough to support the whole population of Earth, we think they'll stop there to gather enough water to convert into heavy water to fuel their fighter planes. There, you can ambush them."

"Right. I've been thinking about this battle, and first in line will be our Black Tigers," said Derek. "When we find the enemy fleet, we'll disable the flight decks of their carriers with the Black Tigers and attack planes from the other space battleships and the single carrier of our Task Group."

"Then, what'll be my job?" asked Borland.

"Firepower to finish off the enemy fleet afterwards in a gun-to-gun ambush from a second corridor," said Falworth.

"I'll need every radar and sensor officer possible to help the Black Tigers get a good spot of every ship in that fleet so we can finish them off in a hurry," said Commodore Wildstar after he sat in thought for a moment, thinking,. _God, I hope Nova's there with us…I hope she doesn't resign and just stay home. But, that's her decision. I can't force her to come and fight with us if she's just tired of fighting. I can sympathize with her. I get tired of this, too. So tired…._

"Commodore, what's on your mind?" asked Falworth.

"Uh, nothing, sir. I was thinking about our radar pickets. Those crews will have to be ready to respond at a moment's notice. I need all of those blips located so we can hit them with our guns and planes. I don't want a single ship to survive our ambush and escape to attack Earth or her bases."

Borland nodded. "Good strategy, sir." he said. He sat back in thought, thinking, Yes, keep talking! Keep on talking so I can tell Sandberg everything. Then, the enemy will be able to counter your little gambits! "Then, what's next?"

"Then, you and the Task Group will head back home."

"That's after we meet with the Gamilons on the twenty-sixth to get a report on how the battle went near Sirius," said Commodore Wildstar.

"What battle?" said Borland.

"Well," said Wildstar, "The Gamilons said they'd be in our solar system around the twenty-sixth after Desslok deals with some business to secure our rear and eliminate a threat to his Empire. What he'll be doing is attacking the Cometine Base at Sirius. He expects to be able to stop them from stabbing us in the back, provide intelligence on where Ekogaru and his main fleet are, and then, he'll offer support to us."

"We expect the Technomugar Fleet to enter the solar system near the Neptune Orbit around this time," said Falworth. "They'll have a huge regular battle fleet of battleships, cruisers, and carriers, according to our intelligence, somewhere around seven hundred to a thousand ships. I will have Third Fleet, Fifth Fleet, and your Task Group there. First Fleet is being kept in reserve near Earth, and the Second and Fourth Fleets are being kept in reserve in the Mars and Venus orbits as backups. The idea is to have multiple Fleets to stop the Fortress if and when it enters the solar system a few days later."

"But, by then, I expect that we can hit them, with Aliscea's help, before they enter the solar system," said Derek.

"What about stragglers that escape and try to counterattack?" said Borland.

"The Gamilons will take care of those," said Wildstar.

"Do you think it's wise, sir, to depend upon them?" asked Borland. "After all, they were our enemies not too long ago. Enemies with genocidal designs upon Earth."

"If it hadn't been for them, we never would have gotten home safely from Rikasha in time," said Wildstar. "They repaired and tuned our engine so the _Argo_ could get home."

"By the way, how is the repair work going?" asked Falworth.

"Fine, sir," said Wildstar.

"Good. I'm glad to know she's shipshape," said Falworth. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to catch up on. I'll see you men soon."

"Yessir," said Derek as he stood and saluted, Borland did the same. Falworth returned the salute, and nodded towards the door. Wildstar picked up his cap and left.

* * *

**II. A SORT OF INTERLUDE**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**Capital District**

**April 23, 2202**

**1145 Hours**

* * *

Not far from the Capital District of the Megalopolis, there was a shopping promenade. It joined with Earth Defense Headquarters, Central Hospital, the Parliament complex, and other government buildings by way of underground tunnels.

Commodore Derek Wildstar was walking along in uniform, glad for his standard EDF blues; he looked rather inconspicuous amongst all of the people in uniform. Nova walked along beside him, looking perky in a pink romper and boots of hers. To Derek's knowledge, she hadn't touched any of her military uniforms or gear since they had arrived home.

Derek noticed that Nova's spirits seemed to be better. She stopped with him for an ice cream cone, and they talked about going to lunch at a favorite coffee shop.

However, she didn't say anything about her commission, or the upcoming mission, and Derek didn't feel right about pushing, either. _When she wants to discuss that with me, she'll do so…when she's good and ready,_ he thought. _Maybe she needs time to decide?_

"Oh, that's a cute outfit!" she sang, stopping Derek with a playful shove to look into a window. There was a pink dress with a light blue jacket. "Can you picture me in that?"

"Sort of," said Derek.

"_Sort of_?" said Nova. "Why aren't we committed on that?"

Derek just shrugged. At that, they both laughed.

"So, we're free for a few days," said Derek. "What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure, as long as we're together," said Nova with a smile. "Picking up a few things in the stores would be a good idea. I'll need some new stuff for summer."

"Why?"

"You _know_ why," she said in a whisper. "I need some new stuff."

"Like?"

"Socks. Shoes. Shorts. Tops. Underwear. Swimwear. Sunglasses. You know…summer clothes."

"Funny…we're just out shopping," said Derek. "Twenty-four hours ago, we were in battle on Rikasha, and…"

"I don't wanna talk about that. Not now, Derek."

"Okay," said Commodore Wildstar as he and Nova walked along. A while later, she stopped at the window of a sporting goods store, where, to Derek's surprise, she was looking at a soccer ball.

"Why are you looking at that?"

"Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those around for after the war, Derek? When we get our long leave, we can have our friends over, maybe play a pickup game in the park or something…."

"After we have our leave?"

Nova nodded, taking his arm so they could walk off to a furniture store next to the sporting-goods shop. Inside, Nova dragged him by the hand to a dark brown couch, bending to look at the price tag on the item. "You note I said 'we'. Sorry I was so depressed last night, Derek," she said in a soft voice. Then, she ran over to him, put her mouth to his ear and whispered. "I don't want to resign my commission after all. In fact, I was on the ship for a bit earlier in the morning after you left to see the Admiral. I ran my uniforms through the wash with IQ-9."

"You, alone in the Living Bloc on the _Argo_ with IQ?"

Nova nodded. "And the little tinwit was on his best behavior, too, Derek. I went and talked to Sandor, as well. He said the repairs are going great. I even went up to the Bridge and spent a little time recalibrating my controls up there since we need to have the radar working…just so for the battles we'll be in. Yamazaki saw me and he laughed, asking me if I always spent shore leave in my shorts on the ship doing work."

"What'd you say back?"

"Stuck out my tongue at him."

Derek and Nova both laughed at that one. Finally, he looked at the couch too. "Where's that tag?"

"Here," said Nova. "It's twelve hundred, but on sale twenty percent off. Can we have it delivered today? It'd look so nice in that den upstairs."

"Thank God for bonuses," said Derek. "Yes, we can afford it."

"Good! Now, let's do something?"

"What?"

"Let me get a few more things?" said Nova with pleading eyes.

"Okay, silly."

* * *

Later on, after lunch by themselves, Derek and Nova met Mark and Holly Venture near the edge of Ueno Park. The rain was gone, and it was gorgeous out.

Holly had somehow acquired a Frisbee, and she laughed as Mark caught it. Derek thought Mark looked tacky in a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts, but he didn't say much about it.

"Why are you still in uniform?' asked Mark as he threw the Frisbee.

Derek caught it. "I had to go see Admiral Falworth on the _Andromeda_ this morning. I couldn't go see him dressed like _that_!"

"C'mon, lighten up," joked Mark. "It might've been fun."

"Stupid clothes are for when you go to the beach," said Derek. He threw the Frisbee; Nova caught it.

"I know," said Nova. "I bought _him_ some stupid stuff." She then threw the Frisbee to Holly.

"You should see what I buy _him_," laughed Holly. "Really, you two need to loosen up a bit."

"Okay, enough with the Frisbee, let's get some hot dogs," said Mark. Holly then gave mark a kiss. Nova grabbed Derek's hand. The foursome then walked through the grass of Ueno Park. The day was beautiful, it was gorgeous…

And, a moment later, they saw two boys shoving a third boy against a tree face-first while a fourth kicked him repeatedly in the rear end. A fifth boy took his wallet.

"Hey!" yelled Dorset…Dan Dorset, to be exact. He was the one kicking the smallest boy in the rear end. "Where's your big brother now? In hell? Is your big brother gonna get you outta this?"

The fourth boy, the biggest and oldest of the bunch at fourteen, put a hand over the smallest boy's mouth and shoved him against the tree. His reply was inaudible, and his face was invisible, but he had dark hair and wore a green outfit. The big boy was named Harvey Wallford, and he was much bigger than the others. He also had a bloody nose; their victim had given it to him. He looked like someone's idea of a 20th century hood. "Let's tie this little creep up with his gay little green belt and then kick his ass! He gave me a nosebleed!"

_What's going on here?_ Captain Wildstar thought. He looked at Nova with alarm.

"Hey, we can't let this go on," he muttered.

"No, we can't!" said Mark. "Derek, let's go teach them a lesson. You know…scare them a bit!"

"Good idea," said Derek. "Holly, Nova, stay back. We don't want you hurt!"

Holly laughed. "You think some eleven-year old schoolyard bully scares me? I fought off worse in my school when I was ten!"

"Derek, the boy they're attacking might need medical attention," said Nova. "And if they keep that up, well, God help them…because they'll learn not to mess with _me._"

"Okay, let's go," said Derek, who reluctantly accepted the idea of the women helping. "Move in quietly, now…"

"Right," said Mark.

* * *

"I got his wallet," said Tadeo Moriyama, who still wore his black school uniform. "Hey, punk! I got your wallet! I got your big brother's picture and I'm gonna rip it up!"

The smallest boy struggled as the fourth attacker, Ricardo Rowe, began to slap him in the back of the head. He was the dirtiest punk of the bunch. "I'm gonna fracture your damn skull, you little creep. Say your prayers, _Jordan!_"

The other kids all laughed at this. The victim was not only struggling; he had also succeeded in hurting Dorset by stomping hard on his toes. Given the fact that Dorset only had sandals on, it hurt him a lot. "I'm gonna kick yo' ass for this, kid!"

"Try it!" said then other boy in a muffled voice.

Mark Venture recognized the voice at once. "Jordy?" he murmured. "Is that you?"

"Oh, my God," whispered Nova as they turned his face towards them. "It _is_ Jordy! His mouth is bleeding!"

"No one kicks _my_ little brother's butt and lives to tell about it!" hissed Mark.

"Looks like we may have to teach those little creeps a _real_ lesson, huh?" said Derek.

"I have first dibs," said Mark. "Hey! Did Alex ever pull you out of stuff like this?"

Derek nodded. "Holly?"

"I rescued my brother," said Holly.

Nova added, "I pulled my cousin Samuel out of scrapes like this a lot. And I _hate_ bullies."

Venture waded in first, followed by Derek and the women.

* * *

"Okay!" yelled Venture. "What the hell is the big idea here? _Four on one_?"

Jordy's attackers turned their heads at the sound of Mark's authoritative voice.

"Oh, crap!" said Rowe. "Grown-ups!"

"Relax, I'll handle this," said Wallford. "My big brother was a big hero from the space battleship _Colombia_ who survived the Comet Empire and got home with his wrecked ship weeks afterward. He told me what to do!"

"Let them have the little shit," said Rowe.

"Yeah. Little creep's always talkin' about his big brother, who's dead," said Moriyama.

"Do I_ look _dead?" asked Venture.

"Oh, crap!" said Moriyama. "They're not dead! That's Venture and Wildstar of the Star Force!"

"Mark Venture?" laughed Wallford. "Hey, he's washed up! Didn't he get killed in battle? _My_ big brother never got killed!"

Nova ran around them and ran through the punks to hug Jordy. "Jordy. _Jordy_?"

Jordy was crying, and seemed unaware of his surroundings. "Who are you?" he sobbed. "Where's Mark? He can't be dead!"

"He's not," said a reassuring voice in his ear as Venture came up.

Jordy turned his head to see Nova and his big brother smiling at him. "_Mark! Nova!"_" he sobbed. "You're alive! Did the _Argo_ make it?"

"It did," said Nova. "We all made it home safely."

"What a nice little _reunion_!" yelled Wallford. "Awwwwwwwww! Gonna go off with your brother now and go have a wonderful and stupid game of soccer where your washed-up formerly dead big brother lets you win, Jordy, you little pampered creep? My big brother was better than he was!"

"Why?" Venture asked.

"My big brother was Ted Wallford of the _Colombia_ You guys are washed up! I heard the news that your ship got smashed up by Desslok a while back when you guys tried to fight Zordar! The Star Force is a bunch of _wimps_!"

"But we made it," said Wildstar.

"Yeah? Well, my brother's ship never got defeated like the _Argo_ did, Wildstar! And he never got killed like you did, Venture! Do you like to take care of your little brother, Venture, and let him win while you play your stupid games?"

"Excuse me," said Mark in a low but dangerous voice. He was angry because _no one_ made fun of his ship, his shipmates, or of the things that he and his brother liked to do, and he had taught Jordy how to play soccer. "_What_ did you just say my little brother and I do?"

"You let him win, because he can't play soccer for shit!" sang Wallford as the other boys, ready to run away, began to laugh.

As Nova tended to Jordy, Mark said, "You know, you have a damn big mouth, kid."

"Yeah? I do?" said Wallford. "Well, excuse me, sir! Why don't you go to hell, you so-called Star Force hero? Isn't the _Argo_ really a garbage scow?"

"What was that?" asked Mark.

"I said, why don't you go to hell, buddy? Your crappy, dirty old ship should be hauling garbage!" said Wallford as his friends looked on in awe and then began to clap. "Wanna make somethin' of it? I betcha you're really as pampered as your brother! Too bad you stopped us…we were gonna get lots of money from him!"

Mark grabbed him by his leather jacket. "Where's your parents? Because I'm taking you home by the scruff of your neck! Then we're calling the cops!"

"Who has his _wallet?_" demanded Derek in his best command voice.

"No one!" said Moriyama.

"That's a load of crap!" said Derek. "I saw one of you boys take his wallet. Give it back, or you're gonna be sitting in Juvenile Hall tonight!"

Moriyama sullenly turned out his pockets. "Here's his wallet." He threw it on the ground now. "Can I go now?"

"No, you have some explaining to do," said Derek. "Nova, call the authorities on my phone."

"Derek, Jordy's missing two teeth. Should I call his parents first?"

Derek nodded, tossing Nova a cordless phone from inside his peacoat. Nova held Jordy and promptly dialed the Ventures' number with one hand while nursing Jordy with the other hand. A moment later, she dabbed a swab from her purse inside his mouth to staunch the bleeding on a cut lip.

Rowe tried to run for it, but Holly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and brought the protesting little punk back by force.

"My mom will get you!" he yelled. "Get your hands off me, ya crazy rat!"

"I may not be crazy, but, boy, I can be _like_ a cornered rat when someone like you gets me mad," said Holly. She threw the kid at Mark's feet. "You wanna take care of him?"

Mark nodded, shoving Wallford aside as he turned to face Rowe. But, before Mark could turn around again, Wallford jumped up, pulling a switchblade out of his pocket. He popped it open and began to advance at Venture's back.

_You're getting this right in the back, jackass! No one grabs me like that!_ Wallford mused.

Nova noticed and yelled, "Mark! _Watch out_!" Then, on the phone to the police, she said, "Please hurry; one of these hoodlums is armed!"

Venture turned around, dodging just in time thanks to Nova as Wallford tried to stab him in the back.

The other boys stopped, aghast, as Wallford danced around the adult Venture with his knife while Mark stalked him in an angry Martial-Arts stance. _Now this is self-defense_, thought Venture. _And kid, I'm gonna defend my little brother and myself by whooping your butt! I don't care what your parents _or_ the cops might think!_

Wallford swung, but Mark dodged and kicked the boy in the arm. He yelled, but didn't drop the knife.

Nova finished with the phone, and she ran over to Derek's side. "Here you go, Derek."

"I've gotta give Mark a hand," said Derek.

"No, hold on," said Nova. She whispered something to Derek that none of the others heard.

"You're not," said Derek flatly.

"Yes I am! I'm faster than you and he won't expect this from a so-called girl," she said in a low voice. "Be right back," she said as she kissed Derek.

Then, before Derek could even cry out, Nova jumped in. Like a gazelle, she sprung off on her light feet…

And…a moment later, she was on Wallford's back, punching at his head!

"What the hell!" he yelled. "No fair!"

"Is using a knife against a man who won't use a gun against you _fair_?" said Nova as she boxed Wallford about the head and grabbed his knife-hand just as Derek jumped in. He and Nova forced Wallford to the ground together and grabbed his knife. Mark waded in a moment later, while keeping a wary eye on the other two free punks, namely, Moriyama and Dorset, who had wanted to run when the knife came out but were stopped by Holly.

"You suck!" yelled Wallford. "I'll get you!"

"Not likely," said Holly as she comforted Jordy. "The police have just shown up."

A moment later, three police officers began taking care of things. Derek and Mark explained the story. And then, Mark and Jordy's parents showed up. Needless to say, Mark and Jordy's father was livid. David Venture promptly pressed charges against the hoodlums for beating up his youngest son and vouched for the actions of his oldest son and his comrades.

Sure enough, the hoodlums found themselves on their way to the police station, where they would face a good amount of juvenile charges.

* * *

The next day was Saturday. The morning was bright and sunny. Derek had dressed in an old shirt and old sweatpants for a walk down the beach, while Nova wore one of her new outfits, namely, a filmy blue dress for appreciating the sun and breeze as she walked hand-in-hand with Derek.

Finally, they got tired of walking and stopped.

The two of them sat cuddling on the beach near their house; Derek was running his hands through Nova's hair as she laughed softly.

"What a way for Venture's parents to meet Holly yesterday," said Nova with a soft smile.

"Well, at least they seem to have approved of her."

"Yeah…they liked her. And Mark's parents were so glad to see we were all right, too."

"I'm glad everyone's okay…your parents and Mark's."****

"It's so nice watching the Bay," said Nova. "No worries; no fears…and the sand feels so nice," she said, lifting up a foot to look at the footprint she made in the sand. "I'm so glad we're together to share this."

"Me too."

"I'm gonna spend the day repainting that one room in the basement, Nova. Wanna help?"

"No, afraid not."

"Why not?"

"Dad wants me to meet him downtown for a consultation with one of his associates at his law firm," said Nova. "Something about some stocks and bonds he has in my name."

"Have fun."

"Not fun…it's necessary," said Nova in a soft, morose voice. "You know how you were doing your will the other day?"

"Yeah?'

"Dad wants to consult with me…about _my_ will," said Nova in a tired voice. "He knows I'm shipping out again soon."

"Yeah," said Derek. "Come back soon? We need a long afternoon together."

"Derek, I love you so much," said Nova while her voice hitched. "I _do_ hope we make it home again after that battle…I want lots of afternoons together with you!"

"We will," said Derek. He sat and held her for a while as she began to cry softly. "We will, Nova…"

* * *

**III. DARK MEETINGS**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**The Old Underground City**

**Saturday April 24, 2202**

**1335 Hours**

* * *

Piper Sandberg stood in an empty room in the old underground city examining a printout that Captain Borland of the _Mogami_ had just given him. "We've got to be quick," said Borland.

"Why?"

"You're out of the loop, sir," said Borland. "They're reopening these cities tomorrow."

"_Our_ work," said Lecha Voton of the R'Khell. "It's thanks to our bombers that this is happening. How nice."

"So, these are their attack plans?" asked Sandberg.

Borland nodded with a smile. "And they still think I'm loyal. Wildstar even called me on the phone and asked me to dine with him today on the _Argo_ when he stops by the ship. To me, he seems like such a stupid, innocent kid. Wonder what else he'll spill?"

"See if you can get him to drink some wine," said Sandberg. "Men will say plenty to their bartender."

They laughed at that. Not far away, Lecha Voton leaned against a disused communications panel as he smoked a Rikashan cigarette. The alien herb was strong and astringent, and the smell nauseated Sandberg somewhat. "You look ill, Terranisch," said Voton.

"Your damned cigarette…that's why."

"I will not put it out," said Voton with an evil grin. "Tell me. Ekogaru means to wipe out your race. Why did you and these others turn traitor? Not that I _mind_ your help, that is," said Voton as he looked over the attack plans.

"We believe in the Lord and what He is planning," said Borland.

"Yes. Yvona told me about His power months ago," said Sandberg.

"You knew He was Ekogaru then?" asked Voton. "Did you know?"

"I did," said Borland. Sandberg remained silent.

"Bring me more plans," said Voton. "Do that, and maybe I'll let you live…"

"I'm not sure I can," said Sandberg with a hitch in his voice.

"Leave that to me," said Borland. "I know where to steal some stuff. They're kept in corporate records in a civilian office downtown."

"Where?" said Voton.

Borland simply paused and smiled "I have friends in a law firm who'll let me rummage around to get stuff. They've done it before. They keep these records and classified patents as part of the Contrail Enterprises records. No one will question an officer coming by to get something. Civilians are so damned stupid."

"Okay…be mysterious," said Sandberg.

"Fail me, and you die," said Voton.

"Oh, I won't fail. Believe me, I won't…"

* * *

Aircar horns blew in the Central District of the Megalopolis as Nova Wildstar looked up at a pedestrian directional sign while standing in a pedestrian island in the middle of a boulevard.

Nova still wore the dress she worn earlier that day on the beach, but had added a spring hat and sandals to her outfit, making her look like many of the other young women in this high-rent center city district on a nice spring day. A crowd of people surrounded her as the light went green. She walked along in the crowd, relieved that, so far, no one had recognized her.

_The last thing I need right now,_ she thought, _are autograph hounds or paparazzi when I'm by myself. Too bad I couldn't tear Derek away from his paint cans down there in that basement. Oh, well…maybe I can help him after I get this appointment over with and buy some French bread at the gourmet shop. _

Nova crossed the street, following part of the crowd down the boulevard, which was called The Avenue of the Arts. It was primarily a banking district; Sumitomo Bank and the Japanese branch of the Bank of America both had major office towers here. She entered the Yokohama Bank tower near a square with a fountain in its center. A group of young women, probably office workers who had to come in today, sat alongside the edge of the fountain with bag lunches or with their heels off, dipping their feet in the water.

Nova barely glanced at them, looking at her watch as she went through the revolving doors into the lobby of the office tower.

After signing in with the guard, she went to an elevator. She didn't need to glance at the directory. She knew where she was going. _Here we go, twenty-third floor, _she thought.

Soon, the elevator arrived, and Nova walked out into a passage. She passed a few office suite doors, stopping at one with a brass nameplate that read: _Forrester, Fisher, Smith and Pellman, PC_.

_I wonder who Dad is going to have me meet with today?_ Nova thought as she entered the carpeted office and signed in with the receptionist, who was very pleasant.

In response to Nova's question, the receptionist said, "You'll be seeing a Cliff Irwin today. He's one of our new associates. I'm afraid your father and Mister Fisher are very busy today. They had to go out and schmooze a big client over lunch at Le Brasserie."

"Must be a big client," said Nova while she put down her bag and looked at a gardening magazine. "The place is expensive."

The receptionist nodded. "Tell me about it. Cute outfit, incidentally. Where'd you get those shoes?"

"A little place in the arcade near Earth Defense Headquarters."

A walnut-grained door behind the receptionist opened. "Mrs. Wildstar?" said a young man in a suit. "I'm Cliff Irwin; the associate who'll be meeting with you today."

Nova stood and shook hands with him; Irwin was a little surprised when he discovered that she had a very strong, confident handshake. _Not what I would've expected from a girl in a sundress and jacket!_ thought Irwin.

"This way?" said Irwin as he opened the door for Nova.

* * *

Nova found herself sitting in one of the many office suites in her father's law firm. Irwin closed the door and got a legal pad. Nova noticed it was an old-fashioned yellow paper pad; apparently, they didn't use computer padds here. She opened her bag, took out a breath mint, and then withdrew an envelope. "My father said you should see about updating this."

"Hmmm," he said. "This says seventy-five percent of your estate passes to your husband in the event of your demise, with twelve percent passing to your parents and thirteen percent to your cousin Samuel Josiah."

"I want to keep the distributions pretty much the same, even though I may want to update it to cover my brother and sister when they're born. I have a few small changes in mind, though."

"Mrs. Forrester is pregnant?"

Nova nodded. "I'm surprised you haven't noticed."

"Teri hasn't been up here in a while," said Irwin. "Congratulations."

They spoke for a while longer; Nova deftly steered the conversation away from any questions about the _Argo_ or her EDF career or the news, since the big news story was the impending battle and the news that the underground cities were to be re-opened tomorrow. Finally, the conversation returned to Nova's appointment.

Irwin read over Nova's will, which had originally been written by her father. Not many people knew it, but because of her role in saving the planet so many times, as well as her parents' generosity (and some wise investments of her own). Nova Wildstar was sitting on a great deal of money. Her personal commitment kept her in the EDF, not the paycheck.

Irwin looked up. "So, you'd like your heirs to receive the right to exercise proxies over these stocks?"

"That's right. I especially want my husband Derek to be covered in case I die before he does, which is a possibility in the times we're facing. I explained to him how to vote a proxy this morning."

"So, that'll reduce your parents' share to ten percent?"

"Yes, but Dad will understand. He said…uh…he didn't need all that excess money."

"All right. Is that it?"

Nova nodded.

"Well, I'll go and have one of our paralegals make the changes In a while, we'll be back, along with Miss Kaneshiki, another one of our associates. We'll witness your signature."

"Thanks," said Nova. "Do you mind if I go powder my nose and fix my nail polish?"

"Go ahead."

Nova smiled and walked out. She went down a long corridor to find the ladies' room.

After doing her business, she walked back down the hall to the office suite. However, she stopped when she heard a file cabinet slamming in a room, accompanied by cursing.

_That man should have his mouth washed out with soap!_ Nova thought. Two more cabinets slammed, with each slam punctuated by more curses.

Nova slipped off her light shoes and tiptoed across the carpeted corridor to the file room. The door was ajar, so, luckily, she didn't have to open it.

Nova looked, puzzled by the sight of an EDF officer in a blue and gold Captain's peacoat slamming drawers and getting more and more agitated.

"They _moved_ them! They moved the Contrail shit!" grumbled the man inside the room while he played around with a filing cabinet secured by an electronic combination lock. "Damned _mothers_!"

_What's somebody from First Fleet doing here in this office?_ Nova thought. _Maybe he has business here, but he's being pretty loud about it._

"Where's those files? Where's those frigging _files_?" he growled as he threw files on the floor. "They _want_ them! If I find the little frigging office lady who moved these, so help me…"

The man looked over his shoulder. Nova, with her gift for memorizing faces, memorized his features; he had an aquiline nose, cleft chin, and dark, scornful eyes with dark hair. For a moment, Nova considered jumping into the room herself to confront this man; she actually dug her toes into the carpet for such a leap. But, then, she thought, _If he has legitimate business here, he'll get even madder when he sees some woman he thinks is a mere civilian looking in on him. I'll go let the receptionist know there's someone here causing a ruckus. What a creep! I hope Derek hasn't had contact with this officer, whoever he is._

Nova slipped away, not stepping back into her shoes until she was halfway down the corridor so the clicking of her heels wouldn't be heard by the intruder. But, then, Cliff Irwin came out of his office. "There you are!" he said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I was just getting a drink. One of the water coolers down there by the ladies' room wasn't working right," said Nova.

"Oh, okay," said Irwin. "We have the papers ready for you to sign…"

"Okay," said Nova.

* * *

Later on that afternoon, Nova was back home. She was lying on a beach towel in the grass near the pool behind a stand of pine trees that screened the area for privacy. She smiled as Derek ran some oil over her bikini-clad back, gently but firmly working the tension out of her shoulder blades. "You feel good, Derek," she said in a low, soft voice.

"You look good," said Derek softly. "You're a little tense. What happened today downtown?"

"It may be nothing, Derek. I encountered this EDF officer looking through files and cursing a blue streak in my dad's law office while I was there getting my will updated."

"He could have had legitimate business," said Derek.

"Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't."

Derek ran his hands further down Nova's back, occasionally tapping and hammering at knots in her muscles. "You think he didn't?"

Nova shook her head.

"I can tell…your back's getting real stiff," said Derek. "Would you try to relax, please?" he whispered.

"I'll try…I know, I'm always telling _you_ to do that when I give you one of these," said Nova as she shut her eyes and tried to bleed her unease out through the soles of her feet while relaxing her muscles. Derek began to stroke the small of her back, and let his hands slowly go down a little further.

"Do you remember what this guy looked like?" asked Derek as the sun hung in the west. It was near sunset, and it was very bright as the sun slipped out from behind the clouds.

"First Fleet colors on his peacoat, white cap, Captain's rank stripes on his epaulets. He had dark hair, dark eyes, cleft chin. Sort of a mean, weaselly-looking face. Looks like he hates the world."

"Hmmm," said Derek. "He sounds familiar, somehow. There are a lot of guys in First Fleet that look like that. They all have this…_attitude._ Wonder if it could be him?"

"Wonder if it could be _who_, Derek?"

"Nothing…just the Captain of one of our escorts. But he seemed too polite. It doesn't make any sense."

"Well, Sherlock," joked Nova. "If you solve this mystery, let me know. Mmmm, your hand feels nice there."

"Where?"

"There, where you have it…" whispered Nova. "Now…_that…_" At that, her breathing began to speed up. "Don't stop," she whispered.

"Seems like I'm driving you crazy," said Derek with a slow smile.

Nova nodded.

Then, five lovely minutes passed. They turned into ten lovely minutes. Then, a moment later, Derek made a whispered suggestion. Nova nodded like a schoolgirl invited to a malt shop for an "all you can eat" special.

Then, she rolled over onto her back and shut her eyes. Fully relaxed now (but blushing) she awaited her husband as he bent over her to kiss her. As he did so, he began to gently untie her bikini top. Then, with several tender kisses, Derek gently took his wife into his arms. Time passed. Joy turned into bliss, and all rational thought flew away like a bird taking wing in the blazing yet gentle light of the late afternoon. And it was good.

For them, alone in their yard, in private...it was _so_ good….

* * *

"So what'd you find, Borland?" said Sandberg.

"Not much, except _this_," said Borland as he threw down a folder in the underground city. "And this other one contains a rough layout of their anti-spacecraft defenses."

"Hmmm," said Voton. "They're working on a device to enhance tachyonic compression, it seems. Theoretical, but it could be dangerous for us. As for the anti-spacecraft defenses, while, we could easily take out AA guns and SAM sites with a bombing raid or two."

"So?" said Borland.

Voton ignored him. "Sandberg. Could you have your cultists ready for a random wave of terror attacks tomorrow morning?"

"I could," said Sandberg.

"Good," said Voton. "Ekogaru would like me to spread a bit of terror before he comes. I'll use two carriers' worth of bombers. This is how we'll do it…"

* * *

**IV. A SILLY LITTLE INTERLUDE**

**Space Battleship _Argo_**

**Captain's Quarters**

**Sunday April 25, 2202**

**0300 Hours**

**

* * *

**

Homer, Eager, and Dash had been summoned to the _Argo_ at about 0100 Hours by communicator. They had been summoned to the Captain's Quarters, only to find Commodore Wildstar working there in an old pair of sweats and sneakers.

"Sir, are you runnin' with us?" said Eager.

"No, Nova and I were working out on the beach together; had a hard time sleeping."

"Over the mission?" asked Dash.

Derek nodded.

"Having bad dreams?" asked Homer.

"Don't want to talk about it," snapped a rather uncommunicative Wildstar. "You guess what's going on."

"Sir," said Dash. "We're sorry about…what…"

"You'd better be sorry," said Wildstar.

The hatch opened, and Nova came in, clad in a fresh t-shirt, running shorts, and running shoes. She seemed to look rather perky for someone who was up at 3 AM. "Okay, guys," she said as she clapped her hands. "Down to your skivvies…everything else off!"

"Now?" said Homer.

Nova nodded. "We're going to begin here, go down deck by deck to the third bridge, and then come back up here. You should be pretty well worn out by then."

"Sir," said Homer as he began to open his Star Force uniform shirt. "Commodore Wildstar. Can we go to the brig instead?"

Wildstar shook his head. "Nova, you're in charge."

"Yessir," she said. "C'mon guys," she called out merrily. "Strip down. There's nothing here I haven't already seen in Sickbay."

"People are gonna make fun of me because of that bionic leg," said Dash.

"It doesn't look _that_ bad," said Nova. "C'mon, Eager, pants _down_…you'd think I was asking you to run naked or something," she said with a giggle.

"You practically are," said Homer.

"Natalie tells me you guys weren't this bashful in that harem!" mocked Nova. "What's _with _you?" Nova smiled at Homer and mockingly blew a wolf-whistle at him. "Derek, look at him! He should have no problem with women with a body like that!"

"They'll laugh at my boxer shorts," said Homer as he was down to just his skivvies. Finally, Nova inspected her charges. Dash said, "Ma'am, can I keep my glasses on?"

Nova nodded.

"Permission to take them?" said Nova.

"Granted," said Derek. Nova saluted, and herded her underwear-clad subordinates out the hatch. She called out a boot-camp cadence as she went down the stairs. Derek smiled a little as he heard her yell "C'mon Eager! Gotta move faster! Wearing out already? _Hup Twoop Threep Four!_"

A while later, they came back before Wildstar, sweating, huffing and puffing. "Nova, did they do it?"

"Yessir," she said.

"Did a lot of people see them?" said Derek.

"They sure did," said Nova.

"What did they think?"

Nova rolled up her eyes. "At least two girls _propositioned _them. Everyone else laughed."

"Okay," said Derek. "Dismissed, guys. Meet us at our house this morning after church."

"Yeah," said Dash. "If we can still walk, that is…."

Nova just smiled at that.

* * *

**V. SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY**

**Tokyo**** Megalopolis**

**The Wildstar Residence**

**Sunday April 25, 2202**

**0905 Hours**

* * *

Mrs. Carol Venture could scarcely believe Nova's kindness. "It's so nice of you, opening up your home to us before you leave this afternoon."

"It's nothing," laughed Nova as she stood in her dining room in a white dress and pink heels.

"Where'd you get the food from?" asked David Venture, who sat between his wife and Tonya Parsons, who was Holly's widowed mother.

"Catered; we just had to warm it up," said Teri Forrester,

"You mean I had to," joked Nova while grabbing a croissant.

"Gracious!" laughed Teri as Nova wolfed down the croissant. "You'll get fat, and Derek won't love you anymore."

"That's silly, Momma!" Nova gave Commodore Wildstar a big hug.

"She'll even look great when she's nine months pregnant, I'll bet," laughed Derek.

"Why do you say that?"

"Her mother looks good pregnant," teased Derek. Nova kissed Derek for that, and Teri blushed.

Not too far away, in the living room, Mark Venture and Jordy laughed as they played a computer game together. Nova rolled up her eyes a little at the sound of Bryan and Angie Hartcliffe trying to play a boogie-woogie duet on her piano. Not far away, Paul Rosstowski danced with Aliscea, who now wore a white sailor dress trimmed in black. She was learning a lot about Earth customs, and had even joined the group at Mass that morning at the local Community Church, which was beginning to spread worldwide. There Nova was delighted to see that Father Likanski, the pastor who had married her and Derek, had just apparently been transferred to the Tokyo Megalopolis. She thought he gave a great sermon.

On the other hand, Holly had been a bit bored by the church service, and was also a little bored at the Venture family beginning to size her up as a mate for Mark. She had made it clear they had already been quietly married, but the families were only halfway accepting of their small ceremony, it appeared.

Not far away, Jefferson Hardy sat in a morose mood. He had been missing Mio a great deal. Unfortunately, Aliscea didn't help matters much by letting him know that he had sensed "she was at peace" before they had come into the house. Aliscea's explaining that "at peace" meant she had died in Technomugar hands didn't help his mood much, but it had provided a certain sort of closure.

_Well, at least I know now that they aren't torturing her any more,_ thought Hardy as he wiped his eyes while watching Mark and Holly dance for a minute.

"What's wrong?" said Conroy.

"I just learned about Mio Hoshiyama, my girlfriend…she was captured by the Technomugar, remember?" said Hardy. "Aliscea told me she's dead."

"Why'd she have to say that?"

"I had to ask," said Hardy. He blew his nose.

"Hey, buddy," said Hemsford as he came up. He gave Hardy a rough hug. "I know what it's like to lose people. I've been there."

Hardy just nodded. His pain was palpable. He sat for a moment, appreciating the friendship of Conroy and Hemsford.

In the meantime, Nova sat down and began playing the piano. It was a pretty, bittersweet tune she made up from out of her head, with classical progressions played with a note of the blues. Derek soon slid onto the bench beside her, just sharing in the presence of his beautiful young wife, even though he couldn't play piano. They smiled at each other as Nova played.

When Nova was done, she took Derek by the hand and walked over to Hardy.

"Jeff?" she said softly.

Hardy nodded. "Yeah?"

"I heard about Mio, and I'm so sorry. I just played that piece in memory of her. If there's anything Derek and I can do to help you, please name it…"

Commodore Wildstar then said, "Hardy, if you don't want to leave with us on the mission, because of your grief, I'll understand…"

"No, Ah'm goin!" said Hardy. "I can best deal with this by taking it out on those bastards!"

"That's the spirit," said Derek as he grabbed Hardy's hands. Conroy slapped him on the back, and then Laurel Hartmann came up. "You know, I lost Royster on this mission," she said. "I don't know if it'd help or not, but if we make it through this alive, can I take you out to dinner? We can deal with how we both feel then, sir."

"Thanks," said Hardy with a weak smile.

A moment later, there was a noise outside like a crump of thunder. Then, there came three more such noises.

"What the…?" said Mark.

"There's not supposed to be any thunderstorms today," mused Carol Venture.

"What's happening, Mark?" asked Jordy as he ran up to a window.

Then, there was a flash of light. Teri Forrester looked out and screamed.

"_My God!"_ she yelled. "The city's being _bombed_!"

* * *

At Earth Defense Headquarters, everything was chaos. The power had gone out, and the red emergency lighting had just come on.

"What's going on?" asked the Commander.

"Sir," said an officer as he ran up. "The main underground power trunk to this part of the city has been hit!"

Another officer ran up. "Sir, air defense counts over fifty light bombers escorted by a hundred fighters over the city. They're R'Khell, sir."

"I detect a fleet in high Earth orbit!" yelled another officer. "Should I arm the battle satellites?"

"Begin the procedures, and then call First Fleet…" said the Commander, but then, a moment later, all the computer screens went dark.

"What happened?"

Stone ran to a phone. He came back a moment later with his heart thumping. "Sir, some terrorist attack knocked out power. We're going to have to evacuate to the old underground Headquarters."

"All right, we'll commence the transfer," said Singleton as he grabbed a cell phone. "Anyone up to running down the stairs?"

* * *

The phone rang a moment later at the Wildstar residence.

Derek picked up on the first ring. "Hello? _Sir!_" he snapped. "It's the Commander!"

"Wildstar, can you get the Black Tigers in the air from the airbase to help fight off these bombers? The Central District's been hit…we're on our way to the old underground headquarters. We'll use the underground tube system to get there."

"Yessir, we can. Do you want the _Argo_ to sortie? Most of the crew should be aboard by now."

"Excellent idea, Commodore," said Singleton. "How soon can you get her in the air?"

"Maybe ninety minutes," said Derek. "I can get some of my pilots to an airbase near here in half an hour."

"Permission granted. Do it!"

Derek nodded. He turned to Conroy. "Conroy, you, Hardy, Mr. and Mrs. Hartcliffe, and the other pilots…come with me."

"Yessir!" said Conroy.

"Venture, get everyone else to the _Argo_."

"Yessir," he said while Derek wrote a note. "What about these civilians?" Venture whispered.

"Nova!" said Derek. "I have a job for you!"

"Yes?" she said as she ran up.

"Get a weapon in your purse, just in case, and then get the civilians to safety in the underground city. You know…the shaft by the garage."

"Right," said Nova. "Then?"

Derek handed her a note. "Get this note to the Commander in the old underground HQ nearby and then get top priority transport to the ship."

"Yessir," she said.

"I'll back her up," said Hemsford.

"Good," said Derek. He hugged Nova quickly and said, "I'll see you on the _Argo_. Be careful."

"You too!"

* * *

Ekogaru the Great leaned on his cane as he walked into his Audience Chamber. "Earth! _Images_!" he barked.

An evil light glowed in the Dark Lord's eyes as he watched the R'Khell bombers hammering the Megalopolis. "Good," he said. "My faithful servants have begun. The Great Humiliation has started. This is the beginning of my Dominance over this Galaxy. Soon, all will tremble as I crush the Earth down into nothing…before I destroy it, along with those servants of Mine who have been unfaithful towards Me."

A minor officer stood trembling in the Audience Chamber a moment later. "Lordship?"

"Yes?"

"We are ready to commence our space warp!"

"Excellent," said Ekogaru. "With this two-thousand light-year warp, the Fortress will be twenty thousand lightyears away from Earth, facing towards the 61 Cygni System. In four days, 61 Cygni, just twelve lightyears away from Earth, will be our final staging area before I order our final plunge into the Sol System! Underling, bring up the intelligence we have on that System."

"Yes, Lord." A moment later, a graphic of the Sol System came up on the screen. "We will enter the Sol System here, Lordship, near their eleventh planet, Brumus. The time will be at Midnight in their Tokyo Megalopolis, on their twenty-ninth of April, a day they call Thursday, Lord."

"Good. At that point, Brumus ceases to exist!" laughed Ekogaru. "Then, after we assimilate Brumus?"

"Then, after we assimilate their eleventh planet, we can warp again at eleven in their morning. The scheduled time for the destruction and assimilation of Planet Earth is twelve hours after midnight, what they call "high noon" on April 29, 2202 in their reckoning. By calculating the relative mass and energy of the Planet, we calculate the operation will take fifteen minutes, Lord."

"And I assume the Phased Density Cannon is repaired?"

"It is, sire."

"And I assume our fleet and the R'Khell fleet are beginning to wipe out the opposition now?"

"Yes, Lord. As you have seen, the R'Khells have begun the process."

"Excellent!" said Ekogaru. "Four days and two and a half hours from now, Planet Earth, the Star Force, and Aliscea of Pellias will cease to matter for me, since then, they shall all be in their graves! Wonderful! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

**END.**

* * *

**This Ends Part Ten of the _Rikasha Incident._**

**The _Rikasha Incident_ shall be Concluded In Part Eleven: _"Ragnarok"_**

* * *

**_THERE ARE NOW 4 DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM_**


End file.
